The Proper Leverage
by maroon passport
Summary: One would never image a princess and a pirate would fall for each other while they search for the Black Pearl, Agua de Vida, and the Flying Dutchman in the company of Elizabeth SwannTurner. Post AWE excluding post credit clip.
1. Manchuria

A pirate was sitting alone in a small sailboat, barely larger than a longboat, a round map spread before him. He carefully rearranged the movable circles of the map, pausing here and there to look for clues.

"Hmm."

The pirate glanced up, gazing at the full moon, hi s familiar dreadlocks flipping from his movement. He turned again, lifted his spyglass to one of his kohl-lined eyes, and tightly shut the other one. He could just spot land, even in the dim light of the moon.

"Destination accomplished," the pirate said to himself, rolling up the round bamboo map and pocketing it.

Captain Jack Sparrow's sailboat hit shore. He climbed out, his well-worn boots nearly sinking in the soft sand. He flailed his arms to keep balance, then started to stride away. He paused, considering, and turned back around to reach into the boat, pulling out a large bottle of rum.

Not too far away was a dock. Jack hurried to i t, taking a swig from his bottle of rum as he ran. With a magnificent leap, he jumped up onto the dock and followed it through a cluster of tall shrubs.

Now Jack saw a great palace, several stories tall, looming above him. The purple clouds surrounding its higher turrets gave it an oddly eerie look. Jack looked back at shore; he noticed three large Chinese warships at a second dock, farther away.

"Excellent," Jack murmured, walking right up to the gate of the palace, where a guard stood stiffly. The young man stared at Jack, absorbing his eccentric appearance.

"Good evening, young sir," Jack said with as much politeness a pirate could muster. "I must see the magistrate."

The guard simply stared.

"Ahh," Jack said. "No _engles_, I take it? Perhaps this will clear things up." He pulled out his trusty double-barreled pistol and aimed it at the young man, who sprang into action at once, opening the gate with much haste. Indeed, the poor youth nearly tripped over his own feet in his zealousness to assist this guest.

"Never fails," Jack said with a smirk, replacing the pistol once inside the gates. There were several stone paths leading to the palace. After careful consideration, Jack chose and quickly found himself standing in front of two more guards.

"See magistrate, yes?" One of the guards inquired. Jack gave a curt nod. "Take left on entrance and open first pair of double doors."

The guards then graciously held open the doors. Suspicious of the unusual hospitality, Jack stepped in with care and moved with caution, but decided to try their advice once he saw how many routes there were to explore. He took a left on his entrance, striding down a long hall and noting the splendor of the palace's interior. At the end of the hall was a pair of double doors, decorated with painted red flowers and translucent glass. Jack stealthily pushed the doors open to find a grand room, adorned with marble, silks, and opulence.

Only two people were inside, a man and a woman, both comfortably seated on red silk cushions in the center of the room. Dressed lavishly, both looked up at Jack in alarm. Concluding that the man was the magistrate, Jack gave a low bow and took in his appearance.

Though he was sitting, Jack could see that the man was portly. His beetle-black eyes crinkled in surprise and matched his soot colored hair, which was flecked with gray and fell to his waist. His beard, too, was just as long. He wore dark red robes that were embroidered with gold thread in a pattern of Chinese dragons.

"Welcome to Manchuria," the man said uncertainly, inclining his head in respect. "What business do you have here?"

"I am an agent of the East India Trading Company, Port Royal Headquarters, and I have been requested to discuss negotiations of the return of the island of Hainan, which, as you know, is under British occupation." The only in truth in this was the fact about Hainan, but Jack still felt obliged to add, "I am Captain Jack Sparrow."

At Jack's introduction, the young woman, who had averted her eyes and was reading a thick book, propped on the table between her and the magistrate, turned and looked up. Jack gazed at her, mesmerized.

She was not tall, but her slender body created this illusion. Her long onyx hair was waist length, excluding a wispy fringe of bangs. Her slightly curved noise was perfectly shaped, and she had large, twinkling brown eyes. Porcelain skin covered her body, scarlet lips and rosy cheeks adorned her face. To complete this image of perfection, she wore a long, floor-length dress the same color as her black hair, the hems of which were embroidered with gold, red, and orange butterflies.

The magistrate evidently noticed Jack's sudden interest in the girl, because he quickly said, "Captain Sparrow, this is Fan-ting. Fantine," he corrected. "My fiancé."

The woman gave him an approving nod.

"What are you wanting in return for you give back Hainan?" the magistrate asked.

"Here," Jack said, snapping his attention back onto this issue and removing a sheet of parchment from an inside coat pocket. He laid it carefully on the table between the two cushions. "This is the deed to Hainan. What we want is one Chinese warship and a crew of twenty men. We are interested, you see, in your technology – with a little experimenting, a ship combining British speed and Chinese weaponry could be built, and we will gladly share forty percent of the profits with you."

The parchment at which the magistrate was now looking with interest was, obviously, a fake deed. However, the magistrate was fooled. He stroked his long beard for some minutes before he replied.

"Only one ship in return for our island?" he inquired. "And the company will share almost half the profits?"

"Indeed," Jack confirmed. "Of course, the British will be doing the experimenting, so we felt more than fair offering forty percent. I'm telling you, mate, the company is rarely this generous."

"All right, I accept," the magistrate said, after a few moments of hesitation. "Please excuse for few minutes. I will inform the _Dynasty Warrior_ to prepare for departure."

The magistrate left the room, leaving Jack and Fantine together in an awkward silence.

Fantine gazed at him.

"I know, Captain," she said, "that you are not an agent of this company. You are an infamous pirate."

Jack looked at the girl in surprise, taken back not only by this unexpected show of knowledge, but also by her smooth accent, a mix of British and French, unlike the magistrate's irritatingly hard to comprehend Chinese accent.

"How did you know that?" Jack demanded.

"You are in a number of books about piracy," Fantine replied simply.

Jack gave a small frown. "Well, just keep quiet, eh, young missy?"

"Not for free," Fantine said. Jack looked at her, alarmed.

"What?"

"I will keep quiet, if you will give me something in return," Fantine said in a low voice. "You will smuggle me onto the ship and sail away from Manchuria. I have not been outside the palace walls in eight years, so neither crewman nor civilian would recognize me as royalty. If you will help me, I will help you."  
Jack considered. It would, indeed, be safer to take the girl.

"Why do you want to leave so badly, love?" Jack asked. "Your life seems comfortable."

"Oh, it is," Fantine assured him airily. "But one does tire of majestic life. There are darker reasons, dark secrets of the magistrate, but I will not share them with you. Yet."

Jack decided to take her, but not for the secrets of the magistrate, in whom he had little interest.

"Do you agree, then?" Fantine asked. "Take me onto your new ship, let me stay until we hit a land I fancy, and I will keep your secret safe."

"How can I trust you?" Jack shot back, sounding rather like one who only recently met a dishonest pirate. "You could run to any of the crew and inform on me."

Fantine laughed. "Oh, Captain," she said lightly, "even if I did that, now one would care. Most of them are pirate themselves. Or rather, caught pirates shown mercy by the magistrate. They would quite welcome you if they discovered you are a pirate."

This seemed reasonable, Jack decided. There was a chance the girl was bluffing, of course, but it would definitely be wiser to take her than leave her.

"Then I agree," Jack said, reaching out to shake the girl's hand and seal their agreement.—but she recoiled, staring at his offered palm. Jack looked down at his own hand.

"Oh, I know it's not clean," he said hastily, hastily wiping it on his coat.

"No," Fantine said weakly. "That ring. The silver skull and emerald ring. Where did you get it?"

Jack removed the ring and scrutinized it, thinking.

"I don't recall," he said honestly.

"You got it from Sao Feng."

Jack's eyes widened. This was quite true. At the girls' mention of this name, memories emerged from the back of Jack's mind.

"Affirmative," he said.

"Where is he?" Fantine asked quietly.

Jack paused. "Dead. His ship was attacked by the _Flying Dutchman_."

Fantine's eyes grew brighter. "Oh, my," she said sadly. Jack looked wondrously at her. She knew Sao Feng so well she felt such sadness for his passing. Jack knew the Pirate Lord of Singapore often took young mistresses, but Fantine had said she had not left the palace for eight years.

The girl shook her head, clearing her tears, then dropped her gaze.

"That compass," she said. Jack looked down again and unlatched the compass from his belt.  
"I've read about it," Fantine continued. "You value it greatly. You will leave it here with me."

"I thought you're coming with!" Jack objected, surprised.

"Yes, that I am," Fantine said. "But I must feign sleep before I can leave the castle, and I must wait for the magistrate to sleep. You will board the ship and wait for me. When the magistrate sleeps, I will go to the ship. You will help me up, and I will return the compass."

"You can't trust me?"

"You are a pirate," Fantine said dismissively. "Trust is a thing to be earned."

Reluctantly, Jack handed the girl the compass, just as the magistrate reentered.

"You may board ship now. Lian?" he called.

A girl entered from behind the curtains on the far side of the room. She was square shouldered and tired looking, no doubt a servant. The magistrate spoke to her in Chinese, and she began to leave.

"Follow her," the magistrate told Jack. "She will lead you to ship."

Jack hurried after the girl, looking back at Fantine only once.

The servant, Lian, walked ahead of Jack. She spoke to the guards, including the gate guard Jack had earlier threatened, all of whom quickly allowed passage. Lian continued, down the dock and along the white sanded beach, stopping at a rowboat which was occupied by a muscle-bound Chinese man.

Lian bowed a signal for Jack to climb into the boat. Upon this action, the man began rowing quickly to the ship in the deeper water. The ship was clean and regal, but Jack sighed – he wanted his _Pearl_. He boarded the _Dynasty Warrior_, only to be welcomed by his new crew.

"Welcome, Captain Sparrow," a tall, are-cheated man said, stepping out of the crowd of some twenty men. "What is our heading? Sir?"

Jack was surprised at this politeness.

"My good man," Jack began graciously. "Mr.…what was your name?"  
"Xing-zhao," said the man.

"Oh, dear," Jack said. "I'll just call you John, what say you to that mate? Anyway," Jack continued without waiting for a reply, "I am to wait for someone who will join us shortly. Send a boat to shore and wait a bit. Meanwhile, raise the starboard anchor and prepare to take leave! Come on, men, we don't have all night!"  
Jack retired to his new cabin, which was decorated like the palace and where a meal was already laid out. Ignoring the food, Jack pulled out his hip and unfurled it, stretching it on the empty end of the table.

"Yes," Jack murmured, "the _Empress_ is just here…"

"Sir?"

Jack looked around; Xing-zhao was poking his head into the cabin.  
"Yes, John?"

The man winced. "Your guest has arrived."

Guest? Jack had temporarily forgotten about Fantine in his preoccupation with his map.

"Oh, yes," Jack said shortly. "I'll be there momentarily, mate."

He carefully rolled up the map and left eh cabin, walking on deck to the rail, where the man who had rowed Jack to the ship was helping Fantine up.

"Compass," he said tersely.

Fantine glared at him. "Salutations to you as well, Captain."

She snapped her fingers, and a series of pained grunts ensued. An end of a trunk appeared, followed by a panting man.

"Thank you," she said to him, relieving him of his burden. She hoisted the trunk with unexpected strength, opened it, and pulled out the compass. Jack caught a glimpse of silvery objects (Probably jewelry), jars, and silk clothes, and was caught unawares when Fantine tossed the compass at him, but managed to catch it.

"Show Miss…Miss, eh…"

"Zheng," supplied Fantine.

"Ah! Yes, of course. John, show Miss Zheng to the guest cabin."

Xing-zhao frowned but obliged.

Now another man, Yang-tsai, came to Jack.

"Our heading, Captain?"

Jack pulled out his compass with a flourish and flipped it open.

"Four degrees starboard southwest."

"And our destination, sir?"

"Singapore."


	2. Elizabeth Turner

Elizabeth Turner was nauseous.

It had been only four months since she had last seen her husband.

She missed him.

She was pregnant with his child, and she would give birth to their child without him at her side. This child would see his father only once every ten years, subject to the same miserable fate as Elizabeth, who was sitting in the cabin of the _Empress_.

Tears fell from her sad eyes. She missed Will, but she would not see him for another nine years and eight months.

"Captain Sw—Turner?

Tai Huang entered the cabin. Elizabeth hastily wiped her eyes.

"A ship has been spotted," Tai Huang informed Elizabeth.

"What?"

"A _Chinese, Manchurian_ ship has been spotted," Tai Huang clarified.

"Friendly?" Elizabeth inquired, standing up with difficulty, placing one hand on her uncomfortable belly.

"Not sure, Captain."

Elizabeth followed Tai Huang out of her cabin onto the deck, where the man in the crow's nest called to her.

"Manchurian!"

"Glass, please," Elizabeth said, holding out her once delicate hand that was now streaked with dirt from her pirate's life, into which Tai Huang placed a spyglass. Elizabeth raised it to her eye and squinted, looking for signs of friends or foes. She spotted a familiar figure and thought immediately of Jack Sparrow.

Elizabeth sighed. Though Jack was admittedly a roguish fellow, she could not deny she missed him as well. But she had no idea where he was; the last she knew, Barbossa had commandeered the _Black Pearl_ out of Tortuga, and Jack was left to find his ship … again.

Elizabeth looked through the glass again and gasped, for now the Chinese ship had come closer.

The man who brought memories of Jack to her _was_ Jack, and he was waving to her cheerfully.

"The ship is safe," Elizabeth announced. "Jack! JACK!"

The _Dynasty Warrior_ was now close enough for Elizabeth to see the sailors. Within a few more moments, Jack Sparrow was swinging over to the _Empress_ on a rope.

"How are you, Mrs. Turner?" he exclaimed, beaming and ignoring the stunned looks of Elizabeth's crew as he landed neatly. He looked down at Elizabeth's abdomen. "Hmm. Having a baby, I see."

Elizabeth blushed. "Yes. Jack, how did you get hold of _that _ship?"

Jack shrugged, a mischevious smile playing at his lips. "I had a bit of assistance from some document forgers in Tortuga. But that's not why I'm here," he added hastily, seeing the look of disapproval on Elizabeth's face. "You know, Miss – er, _Missus_ Turner, you know I've been on a quest for the Fountain of Youth. But there's a fact you don't know about that Fountain, eh?"

Elizabeth raised her eyebrows, perplexed. "And…?"

Jack cocked his head to one said. "Well, there's a Native American mystic who guards the Fountain, and she can lift that curse."

"Curse?" Elizabeth repeated, looking more confused by the second.

"Dear William's curse," Jack explained quietly. Elizabeth's eyes widened.

"You mean – he won't have to …ferry souls to the Locker anymore? And I can see him whenever I want?"

"Fantine!" Jack called back at the _Warrior_, which was now level with the _Empress_. Elizabeth gave Jack a look of confusion as the _Warrior's _crew scampered around to lay a plank which connected the two ships. A young woman ran briskly across

the plank.

"Fantine," Jack said again, beaming, "This is Mrs. Elizabeth Turner."

The girl named Fantine inclined her head. Jack continued. "Could you explain the mystic for her?"

"Ms. Elizabeth," Fantine began in a clear voice, "this mystic is named Takimageya. I believe you have encountered the goddess Calypso?"

"Yes," said Elizabeth.

"Well, Takimageya is similar," Fantine went on. "She is a Fate – on of the three. Unlike Calypso, however, this mystic chose human form, to live among humans, to see how we survive. She pities such unreasonable fates as William Turner's, and if the …."

"Proper leverage," Jack supplied.

"Yes," Fantine nodded. "If the proper leverage is applied, she will help you and William."

Elizabeth blinked. "The proper leverage?"

"Takimageya is bored with being a human, and she no longer wishes to be ensnared in this form," Fantine explained. "The ones with the power to free her are her sisters, the other two Fates."

"And … will this be difficult?" Elizabeth asked.

Fantine shrugged. "It should not be too arduous, because Captain Sparrow happens to be in possession of a very useful map. Incidentally," she added, turning to Jack, "we seemed to reach the _Empress_ very quickly. Do you happen to know this Heathen God? This Calypso?"

Jack coughed. "I knew her," he said shortly. "I knew her as Tia Dalma."

"And you are a Pirate Lord?"

"Of the Caribbean, love," Jack said proudly.

"And you gave your piece of eight to free Calypso?"

"Reluctantly, but yes," Jack admitted. "Where you are going with these numerous questions, woman?"

"Well, if you helped free her, she can help you in return," Fantine said quickly. "Calypso is indebted to you and all the other Pirate Lords, though I expect she has kept this fact carefully hidden, lest they take advantage of this situation. Anything you ask her, however unwilling she may be, she must do. Ask her to lead you to the sisters, for fair weather and good winds. The sisters, in turn, will free Takimageya, who will free William from his eternity of ferrying souls across the waters between worlds."

"Intriguing," Jack said slowly. "A truly clever and well devised plan, love. But I can still find a flaw."

"Which is?" Fantine demanded, affronted.

"How can you be so certain the Fates will oblige to changing back … Takima…what's-her-face?"

"Takimageya," Fantine corrected with a smirk. "Because …_I _ have _this."_

She pulled on the chain Jack had noticed around her neck. It was so long that whatever pendant hung from it was concealed in her robes, and now Fantine revealed it to him.

A glowing golden orb dangled from the fine chain.

Both Jack and Elizabeth stared at the orb.

"What the devil?" Jack exclaimed. "Is that … what I think it is? The legendary –"

"Orb of destiny," Fantine said with a nod and a smile. "You told me Sao Feng is dead. He is the one who gave it to me."

"_Sao Feng_?" squawked Elizabeth. "But—but--"

"He is my uncle," Fantine said, to more open-mouthed looks of surprise. "Hmm. Perhaps…now would be the time to divulge the truth about my past?"

"Oh, story time!" Jack cried enthusiastically, clapping his hands together. "Tell on, dearie!"

"A more private discussion area would be most convenient," Fantine said pointedly, so that Elizabeth gave a gracious nod and led her guests to her cabin.  
"Spill," Jack commanded, sinking into Elizabeth's best silk covered armchair and hoisting an expression of serene attention onto his face.

"Sao Feng is the older brother of my father, Fei Feng," Fantine said immediately, as though eager to tell the story. "My grandfather told them to choose a profession: Sao Feng chose piracy, and my father chose magic –"  
"Magic?" Elizabeth interrupted, looking astonished. "You know magic?"

Fantine sighed, irritated. "Yes, look."

She snapped her fingers; the flickering candles in Elizabeth's cabin went out as though doused; another snap, and the small, dancing fires returned. Ignoring her companions' expressions of sheer astonishment, Fantine continued.

"My grandfather was disappointed Uncle Sao Feng chose such a profession, but he was bound, by an old charm, to pass the orb on to his eldest child, who was Sao Feng. Three hundred thirty-eight years previous, Tamikageya's eldest sister gave the orb to my ancestor, saying that he or his descendants use it when the need comes, for he did her a great favor. However, the orb was stolen and only recently recovered by my grandfather. Sao Feng inherited the orb when my grandfather died.

"My father was next in line to receive the orb, but when I was eleven, the magistrate – Jack, you met him – raided my hometown of Fukien. He had just become magistrate, see, and was keen to show off his new power. He killed my father, then forced my mother to marry him. He made her, and me, move to his palace in Zhejiang. I spent five years living in miserable luxury – a princess, but the daughter of a dead prince and the stepdaughter of a murderer. Then, when I was 16, the magistrate accused my mother of adultery and had her executed. However much my mother hated this monster, she would not have committed the crime of adultery. A horrible crime, indeed."

Jack coughed nervously. He had never been married, of course, but he had been quite promiscuous in his earlier years. Now, however, it had been long since he had gotten into bed with a woman…

"So now I was an orphan. Just two months ago, the magistrate asked _me,_ his _stepdaughter_, to marry him. But I could not refuse. Of course I could not refuse. I would lose my head if I did. Literally. And two weeks after his proposal, my uncle Sao Feng showed up and bequeathed the orb to me! He told me that the British East India Trading Company was trying to take over the seas, and that he sensed his end might be near.

"Then I had the power of the magic _and _the power of the orb," Fantine concluded. Then, after a thoughtful pause, she added, "But the magistrate was very curious as to what the orb was. So when you showed up, Captain, I had to take my chances and leave with you."

"Ah, young lady," Jack said. "You have pirate blood! Pirates trick other pirates to profit themselves. But then, I admit I am suspicious: why are you so willing to help us?"

"Us?" Elizabeth objected. "Jack, why are _you_ so willing to help _me_?"

Jack paused, slightly embarrassed. "I want help finding the _Pearl_," he confessed.

Elizabeth sighed. "I thought as much. Well, if you and Fantine help me free William, I will help you get your ship and Fantine, I'll ---what did you want?"

"The location of my father's grave."

Jack and Elizabeth both looked sadly at the girl's lugubrious expression.

"I never got to say good-bye," Fantine said softly. "The magistrate ordered him buried, but also demanded that his grave be marked without a gravestone or marker of any sort."

"And … how exactly can I help you in this field?" Jack asked tentatively.

"Your compass."

Jack looked down fondly at his precious compass that had led him to so many objects of his desire, and nodded. "Fine. I'll assist you two ladies, if you agree to help me as well."

"I agree," Fantine said at once.

Elizabeth concurred with a curt nod and shook Jack's hand.

"Where to first?" Jack asked Fantine. "You seem most knowledgeable about this situation."

Fantine gave him a wistful smile. "Every year on the brightest full moon, Calypso returns to her human residence and mourns the loss of her loved one. Coincidentally, this date approaches. Next month. So, to the Pantano River swamp."


	3. Calypso

As the _Empress _and the _Dynasty Warrior_ were sailing toward the tiny island of Dalmatia, the _Black Pearl _was occupied by an indignant crew.

"Captain Barbossa, I really don't feel right leaving Jack again," Pintel said tremulously.

"Shut up!" Barbossa snarled. "You're the only one with such an unfathomable opinion!"

"Actually, I agree," Marty called from the crow's nest as Cotton's parrot squawked in consent.

Barbossa's face twitched. This was the second time he had mutinied against Jack, but the dog deserved it.

"I need a ship to find that bloody Fountain," hissed Barbossa. He looked around at the acrimonious expressions plastered onto the crew's faces and sighed; the last thing _he_ needed was a mutiny. "All right, let's say this. Next time I see Jack, I'll let him onto me ship. Deal?"

"_Your_ ship," Gibbs chimed in scathingly; Barbossa had picked him up a month earlier at an island at which they stopped to restock in water and rum. "_Your_ ship? Why, it be Jack who resurrected the ship in the first place! You took it from him. Twice! Where are your rights to this ship?"

Barbossa scowled. Deep down, he knew Gibbs was right, that the _Pearl_ rightfully belonged to Jack. But he did love this ship.

"Knowing Jack," he said slowly, looking for a compromise with Jack's old crew, "he'd find another ship pretty quick."

"Yes!" Marty chimed. "Maybe you ought think about trading, Captain!"

Barbossa sighed. He was aging, and now that he'd seen the not-so-impressive after life, he had no intention of going back there. He had to find the bloody Fountain, and to do that he needed a ship and a willing crew.

"All right," he said, abdicating. "If Jack's got a ship, I'll make the switch. But only as long as it's just as good as me _Pearl."_

_--------------_

"Two days before full moon," Fantine told Jack. "Are we nearing Dalmatia?"

Fantine, Jack, Elizabeth, and Elizabeth's first mate Tai Huang were standing on the deck of the _Warrior_, observing the map spread of Jack's tables.

"Yep," Jack said, giving a satisfied tap to his map. "Should be there in … four hours. Approximately noon."

Elizabeth looked overly agitated. "Are you quite sure Calypso will come?"

"She is bound to," Fantine answered. "Magically. Once a Heathen God loses her love, she must return to the first place they …."

"Fornicated," Jack supplied, so that Fantine winced, but agreed.

"She must commit to a ceremony once a year," Fantine continued.

Tai Huang was staring avidly at Fantine, much to her displeasure.

"You are the niece of Sao Feng," he said suddenly. Fantine turned to face him, large eyes flashing.

"Yes," Fantine said slowly. "You knew him?"

"Captain Elizabeth's predecessor," Tai Huang nodded at Elizabeth.

"Hmm. You failed to mention that my uncle once captained your ship," Fantine said. "No matter. I must prepare."

"Prepare?" Elizabeth said again, but Fantine had already left.

"I can presume there might be a ritual," Jack suggested. "Or something magical involved. Yes…perhaps you ought to go back to your ship. Who knows what calamities might occur should the captain and first mate be gone?"

The Pantano River was more than just a murky swamp. The very air was filled with magic, candles glittering among the dark trees. It was unquestionable why a powerful goddess, bound in human form and stripped of her powers, would choose this swamp as residence.

Fantine could sense the magic, more so than the slightly less civilized pirates. She sat with Jack and Elizabeth in a longboat in which Xing-zhao was rapidly rowing through the dark brown water with amazing speed. A small silver box, embellished with stars, separated her from Jack.

As Fantine closed her eyes and folded her arms gracefully, Jack reached out to take the box, intending to look inside.

"Don't touch it," Fantine said sharply, her eyes still closed. Taken aback, Jack recoiled and sheepishly sat up.

Fantine's eyelids fluttered opne.

"She's hidden the hut," she murmured, more to herself than to anyone in the boat. "No, no fooling me. It's here. Hidden, but here." She turned to Xing-Zhao. "Row the boat to the bank, please. Right there. Yes. Thank you."  
With a soft _flump_, the boat hit the muddy bank,. Fantine stepped onto the soft, moist mud, lifting her black skirts slightly to avoid dirtying them.

"Careful, there might be quicksand," Fantine called back to the other two, who were hastily following.  
"Mind the boat, John," Jack said briskly to Xing-Zhao, who made himself comfortable inside the small boat, watching them run off.

Fantine led Jack and Elizabeth through the forest of palm trees. She stopped suddenly, so that Jack nearly bumped into her. He glared at the waterfall of raven hair, capturing the light of the moon, swishing in front of him.

"Yes, it's here," she said, raising her right hand and grasping at thin air. She gave a tug as though trying to draw curtains, and, to Jack and Elizabeth's immense surprise, a backdrop raised to reveal the hut of Tia Dalma. Jack could spot dim lights inside the mystic's hut.

"I could have sworn my life that I could keep walking through the forest, through that curtain," Elizabeth said, amazed.  
"You would have won that bet, then," Fantine said, walking on. "If I hadn't found the drawstrings, you could walk through as though no curtain was there, as though no hut was there."

"How did you know the strings were there?" Jack asked, tromping along in her wake.

Fantine gave him a withering look. "You obviously have not a drop of magic in your blood."

They had reached the rickety stepladder leading up to the hut, which was much the same as ever, except that it was located deeper into the forest rather than on the bank. Jack was still slightly affronted from Fantine's reprimand.

"There should be extra protection, to prevent anyone from getting in," Fantine informed Jack and Elizabeth. "There is something strange about this stepladder."

She looked around and grasped a thick stick, then placed it on the first step of ht staircase with about as much force as a normal footstep. Almost immediately, the staircase swallowed the rod with an ominous slurp.

"Ahh," Fantine said with satisfaction. She leaned into the staircase, stretching out her left hand and stopping it just an inch above the second step of the ladder. She closed her hand and pulled it away quickly. With it came a green sheet.

Jack blinked. He was quite sure that sheet had not been present before. Indeed, he felt as though utterly lacking in brains. It made little difference, however; Fantine might be the more knowledgeable about these matters, but he was definitely more brainy when it came to the sea and its legends.

Fantine threw aside the sheet with a flourish. "It's safe," she proclaimed.

"Ladies first," Jack said graciously, not allowing his inner nervousness to show.

"She's not here!" Elizabeth exclaimed, alarmed, as she stepped into the hut. She looked around; the hut was much different from her last visit. All the magical items had vanished, the glittering cloths were gone, and the snakes that once slithered across the floor and curled around jars were no longer present.  
"She is," Fantine said quietly. "Hiding. Captain, would you hand me my box?"

Jack handed her the tiny box he had been clutching. Fantine leaned down, bent over, and examined a spot on the floor. She opened the box and took a miniscule pinch of glittering silver powder, which she placed carefully on the box. Then she stepped back quickly.

Instantly, a great fire arose. Fantine took more powder, a handful this time, and flung it into the fire.

The sight that appeared took Jack by surprise: it was Tia Dalma.

She stepped out of the fire, looking quite different from before. Her once blotchy and spotted skin was smooth and chestnut colored, her blackened teeth were now pearly, and she looked altogether much cleaner—even pretty.

"Ahh, it be witty Jack!" she exclaimed, and as she spoke this words, the fire extinguished itself. Tia Dalma did not seem remotely glad to see him, although her words were welcoming. "And Mrs. Turner! And --?"

"Fantine Zheng," Fantine said.

Tia Dalma raised her eyebrows. "Daughter of Fei Feng? Welcome. That must be how you found my concealed hut with such ease."

Fantine nodded.

"Tia Dalma!" Jack said loudly, a bit too late, but stepping forward all the same and beaming. "We are here for a reason. I helped free you. In return you helped the Brethren Court defeat those East India Trading Company dogs, bloody scoundrels, they are. But my point is, I have another favor to ask, please."

Tia Dalma's face contorted and Jack knew she was thinking of the lost Davy Jones, dwelling in his own Locker for eternity.

"Yes," she said, her voice shaking slightly with sadness. "Go on."

"If you are in accord, you will help us by guaranteeing fair weather and strong winds while we look for those two Fates sisters."

Tia Dalma sighed. "I am agreeable," she said, her thick Jamaican accent ringing. "In my …Heathen form, I will help you to their lair, I will meet you as strong wind on the bay in two hours. Out!"

The abrupt order surprised Jack, but he promptly turned around and left, followed by the two women comrades.

"Why does she need two hours?" Elizabeth asked, looking perplexed.

"Probably some ceremony," Fantine said. "When I was younger, the village folk told me that a Heathen God whose love is lost forever must perform a ritual to prevent herself from becoming too overcome with sadness that she cannot perform her duties."

Jack looked thoughtful, climbing into the rowboat.

"All right, John," he said. "To the ship."

But as they rowed out of the swamp and into the bay, they met a horrible sight: the _Dynasty Warrior_ was gone.


	4. Kaldya

"Bugger!" Jack exclaimed. "Why are all my ships mutinied upon and then commandeered, I must ask?"

Fantine was agape. Elizabeth, however, smirked.

"Seeing as I have a ship in my possession and _you_ don't, I think it'd be very gracious of me to invite you onto my ship," Elizabeth said, adopting Jack's air of carelessness, though admittedly he was not showing his infamous attitude as of now.

"Yes, it would," Fantine said at once, turning to Elizabeth. "Will you?"

Elizabeth shrugged. "Should I? Jack's a pirate, and you're a witch. Let me see. _I_ am the captain of the _Empress, _and there were will rules. The main one, you see, is Jack cannot try taking control of _my _ship."

The corners of Jack's mouth twitched; Elizabeth had done an uncanny impression of him.

"I solemnly swear I will follow you rules," Jack said gravely, placing his right hand over his heart for good measure.

"All right," Elizabeth said reluctantly. "Board the ship."

"Captain!" cried Tai Huang when he spotted Elizabeth, Fantine, and a displeased Jack climbing aboard. "The _Dynasty Warrior—"_

"Yes, it's gone, I know," Elizabeth said wearily. "Jack, we have a slight problem."

"What, because my ship is gone? Again?" Jack demanded. "Yes, love, I know that one."

"No, because of Lord Beckett," Elizabeth said shortly.

Jack stared at her. "He's dead."

"Indeed," Elizabeth agreed, yet a dark shadow crossed her face. "Beckett may be dead, but you know better than anyone, that the East India Trading Company isn't. Crew, prepare to set sail, please!"

"It's like that bloody dragon," cursed Jack. "You cut off the head, and two more grow in its place. Cut those two off, and whoops—four heads pop up."

"Yes," Elizabeth said. "The Company is immortal. Before I left Singapore, I was brought news about the Company: Beckett appointed his successor before he died. Apparently, he wasn't as confident about winning the war as he seemed, and –"

Fantine gasped.

"What?" Elizabeth asked, turning to face Fantine.

"Your map," she said breathlessly to Jack. "Still in your cabin! Locked in my trunk!"

"No, it's here," Jack objected, reaching into his inner coat pocket, then stopping short. He looked up at the two anxious women, embarrassed. "Oh, bugger."

"Tai Huang!" Elizabeth shouted, a look of agitation on her face. "Tai Huang, when did the _Warrior_ leave?"

"About a quarter of an hour before you arrived," Tai Huang said. "Naturally, I felt we should not follow, because you could return at any--"

"Follow it," Elizabeth interrupted. "I need that map. To free Will."

"You don't need to follow it to get the map back," Fantine said.

"Yes, we do," Jack contradicted. "We need to follow it to get _my_ ship back!"

Fantine glowered at him. "There's just been a mutiny on your ship! Do you think the crew would be pleased to see their captain again? Alone? Elizabeth doesn't have sailors to spare, to lend you for your ship. Your best hope is time. Wait for their anger to cool off."

Jack felt himself become irritated with this girl. She was, of course, quite right, but why must she say so? It was more fun to take the risks.

"Fine," he snapped. "What do you suggest we do?"

"I'll be right back," she replied smoothly. Before Jack could answer, she took out the silver box and flung a handful of the powder into the air.

And she vanished.

"What—what—"

Jack was astounded. He was rarely this inarticulate. Elizabeth, too, stared at the spot Fantine had vanished, where there was now only a few scattered bits of silver powder.

---------

"The ship is mine!" cackled Wei-Hsiung, a thickset man who had led the mutiny against the absent Jack Sparrow. He stood on the helm of the _Dynasty Warrior_, laughing quite madly. Indeed, he was flabbergasted when a feminine figure appeared, in a rush of glittering wind and smoke, next to him.

"You have become a monster," Fantine told him sadly. "What have you done? Why have you changed into _this_?"

Wei-Hsiung was not touched by Fantine's melancholy tone, nor by the obvious sorrow of her words.

"What are you doing here?" he demanded, throwing questions back at her. "How did you get here?"

Fantine did not answer the second question, but proceeded to answer the first. "If you're going to be so hostile and not allow the rightful captain of this ship return, at least allow me to bring his things to him."  
"Get away!" Wei-Hsiung shouted, startling the girl.

"Wretch," she hissed, recovering from her shock. "I hope you receive what you deserve. You had a chance to recover what you lost."

With that, she turned on her heel and walked away.

Wei-Hsiung stared after her, a very ugly look forming on his face. He whirled around.

"Xing-zhao!"

"Yes, Captain?"

A weary looking Xing-Zhao hurried forward. He looked quite disgruntled.

"Make sure that wench doesn't stay on my ship."

"Yes, sir."

Fantine ran to the cabin that had once been hers. She spotted the trunk and breathed in relief, then drew in her breath again as she opened the lid.

The maps were gone.

Shaking, Fantine slammed the lid of the trunk down again and stormed out of the cabin. There was no doubt who had the maps now.

"You, girl!"

Fantine turned around at the sound of these words. It was Wei-Hsiung. He glared at her.

"I thought I told you to get away!" he snarled. She paused.

"You would be wiser to treat me with more respect," she said quietly. Wei-Hsiung snorted.

"Respect?" he repeated, laughing, though obviously without mirth. "Respect you? You are a woman! A stupid woman!"

Fantine frowned.

She snapped her fingers.

Wei-Hsiung gasped as he was thrown backwards into the hull of the ship.

"Where are the maps?" Fantine demanded, leaning over his limp body.

"Why should I tell you?" Wei-Hsiung replied, with just as much disrespect as he had shown before. Fantine snapped her fingers again, and Wei-Hsiung felt his arm twist. He winced, in great pain, and finally gave in.

"All right, all right! I'll tell you!" he cried. "Just stop twisting!"

"Tell me where the maps are first," Fantine said, not eager to compromise with this scum.

"In my cabin! In the second drawer of the desk!"

Wei-Hsiung felt his arm relax. He caught his breath, watching Fantine sweep away. He had no idea what witchcraft was at work here, but he wanted nothing to do with it anymore.

--------

"Fantine!" Jack exclaimed when she reappeared on the _Empress_.

"Here," she said curtly, looking grim and handing him his maps. She clapped her hands; her trunk appeared as well, with a faint _pop!_

Jack looked down at the maps with bewilderment, but he could tell – from what he liked to call his "tremendous intuitive sense of the female creature" that Fantine was upset. Indeed, she looked quite formidable as she told Jack it would be wise to try regaining his ship at a later date.

Elizabeth took the maps from Jack and began to try to fathom some meaning from their usually unintelligible codes, expecting Jack to follow her, but instead, he went off after Fantine.

He found her sitting in a cargo room, where many kegs of rum and boxes of stale food were stored. He sat down next to her.

Fantine said nothing, only looked down at the hem of her black dress. She waited for Jack to speak.

"You are troubled, love," he finally said, when he decided she was not going to make the first attempt at conversation.

"Yes," she said quietly.

"Why?"

There was a long pause before Fantine answered.

"The man who led the mutiny against you is my stepbrother," she replied at last.

"Alas, it is who we least suspect," Jack said mournfully. Fantine shook her head.

"I had no idea he joined seafaring," she said. "I only realized today. And he's become somebody horrible. A monster."

She stood up suddenly and walked over to the tiny window, looking out, and seeing the sails flapping madly.

"Ought the winds be that strong?" she asked nervously.

Jack smiled, also standing up and walking over to her. "You obviously have not a drop of seafarer in your blood, love."

He had thrown her own words back at her, at a great risk. He did in fact almost expect Fantine to slap him for his cheek, and braced himself.

But she did nothing.

Except she smiled.

-------------

"Jack, Jack, help me," pleaded Elizabeth, looking down at the meaningless codes and riddles on the circular map.

Jack gave her an appraising look before examining the maps.

"I've got it!" he exclaimed, after a few moments.

"What?" asked Elizabeth eagerly.

"These maps are unfathomable!" he told her, much to her disappointed.

"Having trouble, are you?" a new voice joined in. Jack and Elizabeth both turned around to see that Fantine had joined them.

"Yes, these maps are maddeningly unhelpful," Jack said. Fantine smirked and looked at them.

She turned a few of the circles, until what Jack had thought were simply random lines lined up to form misshapen circles.

Islands.

"This one is the one we need," she said. "Kaldya."

"Aha!" Jack exclaimed again, only this time he really had discovered something. "This is the _Empress!_"

He pointed at a tiny, moving dot. It had just passed Kaldya.

"Very good," Fantine said smoothly. "It seems we need to turn around."

Before neither Fantine nor Elizabeth could even blink, Jack had dashed away and into the center of the deck.

"Oi!" he shouted, waving his arms at Elizabeth's crew, who paid little attention to him. Exasperated, Jack yelled, "Look thar! The Kraken!"

The crew halted and fearfully looked in the direction in which Jack was pointing, only to see nothing.

"Oh, false alarm, sorry," Jack apologized without any evidence of remorse, and knowing full well that the Kraken no longer existed. "Well, now I've got your damned attention, so …..we are approaching our destination!"

The crew exchanged gleeful looks.

"Actually," Jack clarified, "we are _deprocahing _our destination. Hmm. Deproaching. Is that a word? Ah, well, we've passed the island. Be a kind fellow, you there, and step aside."

"Jack!" Elizabeth complained. "You're trying to take control!"

"Aye, that I am," Jack said carelessly, shoving aside the man at the helm and taking the wheel.

Slowly, painfully, the _Empress_ began to turn around completely. Crew members scurried to adjust the sails as the wind began blowing in the opposite direction. Fantine said down on a barrel of gunpowder, watching with great interest.

"Lower the starboard anchor!" Elizabeth cried, and sailors dashed over to oblige.

"Mission accomplished," Jack said proudly, stepping down from the helm and looking over at the island.

His eyes widened. Elizabeth, puzzled at his expression, turned slowly on the spot and gazed at the strange land.

"This – this is _Kaldya_?"

"Yep," Fantine said grimly.

Kaldya was covered with snow, an unexpected scene for an island in the warn Caribbean Sea. The little of the island not covered in ice was brightly colored; coral lay underneath the layers of white. At the center of the fairly circular island was a large cave, also partially covered with snow.

"Yes, well," Jack said flippantly. "Would you like to give orders to lower the longboats, Captain Turner?"

Elizabeth could only stare.


	5. War Initiatives

"Chilly," Jack commented, rubbing his hands together for warmth as he and his two female comrades stepped out of the longboat and onto the icy coral.

For answer, Fantine waved a fragile white hand at the snow.

"It'll be warmer in the cave," Fantine promised him, setting off at a quick pace across the snow.

"We're going in the bloody cave?" Jack squawked indignantly. Fantine gave him an incredulous look.

"Of course," she said scathingly. "Do you prefer to stay out here, in the cold?"

"No," Jack admitted.

"Then come along," Fantine said briskly.

Jack's well-insulated feet were starting to get cold when they finally reached the cave. The interior, from what Jack could see, was dark.

"The inside," Fantine told them, "may surprise you."

And they walked in.

Jack and Elizabeth gaped; the cave's interior was well-lit with white candles in silver candle holders, adorned with magnificent ancient Roman statues, and floored with marble. Fantine looked smug.

"Now we wait," she said, but no sooner had she spoken than two women appeared at the top of the marble staircase.

One was tall and slim, and had an eerie appearance, for her skin was white. Not only pale, but white, like the snow outside and the marble beneath. Long, luxuriant hair flowed behind hair, the color of silver. The entire woman, dressed in white fur, seemed to be carved from ivory, showing little color other than white except that of her red lips and light blue eyes.

For all her pallor, this woman still resembled the more lifelike woman next to her, who had golden skin, vibrant green eyes, and thick, curly brown hair. She was elderly, but had a beauty only the aged possessed. Her small frame was draped in green fur.

"What purpose do you have here?" the young woman asked, a frost as cold as the outdoors evident in her voice.

"Samika!" the elder woman reprimanded. "You are so hostile!"

Samika said nothing for a few moments, but then repeated her question. Fantine nodded at Jack when he looked inquiringly at her.

"Your honors," he said loudly. "We would like to ask a favor!"

"You see, Mayina," Samika said bitterly, "these silly mortals come to us only to demand favors!"

"We're not demanding!" protested Elizabeth angrily, her fiery spirit arousing at Samika's cold words. "We're only –"

"Silence!" Samika commanded, but Fantine did not fall silent.

"With permission," she said politely, "I believe you, the Fates sisters, have lost some of your original power. And those powers you have lost are in my possession."

"Around her neck," Jack chimed in eagerly. Fantine scowled at him.

Mayina paled. "You are Fan-ting Zheng!"  
Fantine nodded.

"Ah, yes, Lady Fantine," said Samika, her voice now surprising warm and respectful. "But you cannot use those powers, being a mortal."

She pronounced the word "mortal" as if it were some disgusting disease.

"I don't want to use them," Fantine replied shortly. "I want to _trade_ them."

"For what?" Samika asked, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"Your imprisoned sister's freedom."

It was Elizabeth who said this. The Fates sisters both looked at her, astonished.

"No," hissed Samika. "She is a traitor. She gave up her duties and chose life as a human. Now, she longs for freedom, but we who can free her have chosen not to. We are willing to trade, but not for this."

"Will's freedom, then," Elizabeth proposed at once.

Fantine sighed. Elizabeth Swann-Turner apparently knew little about discretion.

"Ah," Mayina said, smiling (though her smile was one of respect rather than one of greed), "You are Elizabeth Turner, nee Swann, wife of William Turner."

"How did you--?" Elizabeth began wondrously, but Samika interrupted her.

"We are Fates," she said dismissively. "And the power to free William Turner no longer lies with us. It did not belong to us even before the Orb of Destiny was created – it belonged to Takimageya. She had the powers to control love and curses. Now that privilege is gone, by her own doing. She chose it. The only way to free your husband is to free Takimageya and hope she feels grateful enough to help you."

"Fine," Fantine said crisply. "We'll free her on our own."

Samika sneered. "There is no way to do that."

"Fine," Fantine said again. "Good-bye."

She turned to leave. Elizabeth protested as she strode away, Jack torn between the two women's different opinions.

"But—Will—we need to free him!"

Fantine silenced her with a look.

"Let's go," she said tersely.

"Yes, let's skedaddle," Jack added. Elizabeth frowned at the two of them, watched by the Fates sisters, but then Jack turned back around at the Fates sisters.

"Do you know where we might procure some rum?"

--------

As the _Empress_ set sail once more, a certain ship called the _Flying Dutchman_ was collecting the souls of those lost at sea to ferry across the sea of the underworld. Its captain, Will Turner, was lost in his own thoughts about his life above the surface of these lifeless lands. He peered absent-mindedly over the rail of the ship; a rail once covered with barnacles that was now gleaming as though new.

Will spotted two bodies in the water. That was no surprise – they had obviously only recently died. Or had they?

One of the bodies suddenly gave a violent flop. Will gave a start, realizing at least of the bodies was, in fact, living.

"William?"

Will turned. It was Bootstrap Bill, limping toward his son, curious about what he was observing that made him anxious so. Though Will had, many times, asked his father to leave servitude, Bootstrap refused.

Bootstrap leaned over the rail as well.

"Live'uns!" he exclaimed, for both people were now showing signs of life. "Puffer! Get me a rope, quick!"

One of the crew, a man nicknamed Puffer because he once shared face with the side of a puffer fish (during the days of the tyrant Jones, of course), tossed Bootstrap a long rope and scuttled over, crab-like, eager to witness this situation. Bootstrap promptly threw one end of the rope overboard and into the water. The two people quickly grabbed it.

With some effort, Will, his father, and Puffer pulled the two on board.

Both soaking wet and coughing, the two hastily thanked their rescuers. As Puffer ran off to get a blanket, Will observed the man and woman before him.

The man was tall and broad-shouldered, with sharp facial features and rugged, weather beaten skin. His hair, a soaking mop of light brown, fell into blue eyes. The woman was of shorter stature, yet quite thin and attractive, for she had thick, shoulder length burgundy hair, light brown eyes, and the healthy tan of an Egyptian. She was obviously a descendant of the Gypsies. Her eyes were heavily lidded, her nose arrogantly pointed.

"Thank you," the woman said, still spluttering and coughing. "I am Stella Le Brixetange. This is Tommi de Vollorad."

"I would also like to express my gratitude," the man said, pounding on his chest, presumably to get water out.

Both accents were thick French. Will took notice of this, but did not see neither the woman's piercing brown gaze nor the man's cold blue one settle on the scar on his chest: the scar proving his heart was elsewhere.

"May we have permission to stay on your ship until you next make port!" the woman asked politely.

Will frowned.

"Do you know what ship this is?" he replied. "This is the _Flying Dutchman_. You're in the underworld."

Stella and Tommi exchanged looks of worry. "So that's where we are!" Tommi exclaimed.

"I supposed you can stay," Will said reluctantly. "How did you even get here?"

"Our ship went over a huge, icy waterfall," explained Stella. Will nodded. That was indeed, the only way to get into Davy Jones' Locker … at least while still living.

Will gave his guests an apprehensive smile. Bootstrap Bill, however, looked at these visitors with anxiety, suspecting it an awful coincidence to come upon living people in the waters between worlds.

Jack took a deep swig from a bottle of rum. He stood casually between two large cannons upon Elizabeth's ship, drinking and enjoying the view of miles of water, yet quite discontented about the fact that he was not in control.

"A ship has been spotted, Captain Swann!" the man in the crow's nest yelled down. "Turner. Captain _Turner_," the man quickly corrected himself, still unused to Elizabeth's married name.

Jack looked around, not bothered at all. This was Elizabeth's problem.

Elizabeth called back up to the man in the crow's nest.

"Colors?"

"Manchurian!"

Elizabeth frowned.

"Jack."

Jack turned around, nearly dropping his bottle of rum. "Yes, Elizabeth, love?"

"Do you think that might be your ship?"

"_My _ship?" Jack said. "No, no. _I _don't have a ship. All my ships were commandeered by a bunch of bloody traitors."

He looked quite menacing as he said this.

"That's not your ship."

Both Jack and Elizabeth looked around; Fantine had suddenly appeared behind them, likely while Jack was complaining.

"That's the magistrate's ship," Fantine said. She sounded calm, yet her creased eyebrows betrayed her. She was worried.

"The magistrate?" Elizabeth said slowly. "Isn't he –"

"He's here."

Fantine walked over to the rail and shaded her eyes with her hand.

"Yes," she continued, "that's his ship. He found me."

"What do you mean, he found you?" Jack demanded. "How could he find you? Silly girl! He can't find you!"

"Are you drunk?" Fantine shot back. "He did find me! I know that's his ship. How many times have I seen it…never getting ready to attack, however."

Elizabeth's jaw dropped. "_Attack_?" she cried, cringing.

"You would be wise to prepare for return fire," Fantine advised.

In a flash, Elizabeth dashed away, yelling, "Foes at hand! Load the cannons!"

Jack did nothing, grinning as he watched Elizabeth's crew squabble over the remaining kegs of gunpowder. Elizabeth did not notice his passiveness for several moments, but as she was passing him again, heaving an enormous barrel of gunpowder, she saw that he was quite inactive.

"What are you doing?" she shouted. "Load the cannons! The triple guns, the mortars!"

"You ordered me not to act," Jack answered coolly. "Don't you recall your anger with me when I took control a few days ago?"

Elizabeth sighed, exasperated. "I meant, don't take control! You still need to help defend this ship, unless you want to get blown up as well!"

"All right," Jack said submissively, walking slowly over to her and relieving her of her burden. "If you _really _need my assistance so badly, love, I'd be glad to help."

He grinned, enjoying the opportunity to rub in the fact that she needed his help.

"Quickly!" Elizabeth commanded.

"Oh, I can't believe he found me," Fantine said in fright, running over to help Jack load the cannon (from which he had just shoved a surprised gunner away).

"Maybe it's not him, love," Jack suggested.

Fantine dropped her end of the barrel, so that Jack staggered with the sudden shift of weight.

"For the last time, _Captain Sparrow_," she said icily, "yes, it is!"

"Yes, it is," repeated a voice from behind.

Jack and Fantine whirled around and froze. Jack dropped the entire keg of gunpowder, its contents scattering over the floor. Elizabeth ran over to see what was occurring, thinking Jack had done something treacherous, and halted when she saw the man standing before them.

Jack recognized the man at once. His long, graying hair and beard, crinkled black eyes, lengthy robes, and portly stature were all distinctive.

It was Magistrate Tang-Huai.


	6. Agua de Vida

Magistrate Tang-huai glowered at the pirate and the wench before him.

"You lied to me," he snarled at Jack. "That deed was fake."

Jack shrugged, waving his hands flippantly. "Pirate," he said dismissively. It did, however, explain why the deed was fake, in very simple words indeed: "pirate".

Tang-huai continued to scowl, and turned on Fantine. "And _you,_" he said, "you betrayed my trust of you and left palace, when I expressly forbid you to!"

Fantine imitated Jack's innocent demeanor, shrugging and flapping her hands. "Witch," she said simply. Tang-huai furrowed his brow even further.

"Bloody hell," Jack said. "My dear man, I must say, I am utterly amazed how much movement your eyebrows have!"

"That is unrelated!" Tang-huai snapped. "I am, however, a very forgiving man—"

Fantine snorted with disbelief, but managed to turn it into a strange cough.

Tang-huai continued. "I am, as I say, very forgiving man, and I will give you once chance to go free."

"Go free?" Elizabeth echoed. "Why are you attacking my ship?"

Tang-huai stared at the unfamiliar woman. "Who are you?"  
"Elizabeth Turner," she proclaimed. "And you?"

Her low, angry voice matched his.

"Magistrate Tang-huai," Tang-huai said, drawing himself up proudly. "You own this ship? Ah. I am sorry to say, these traitors are on it, and unless they go along with my proposal, your ship will become smithereens."

Elizabeth pursed her lips, furious, but could not think of a reply. She could only hope that Jack and Fantine would agree with Tang-huai's proposal.

"My proposal," Tang-huai went on. "One sword fighting match, with the legendary Jack Sparrow."

"_Captain _Jack Sparrow," Jack corrected automatically; this had become a rather annoying habit of his in the past years.

Tang-huai rolled his eyes.

"Fine, _Captain_ Jack Sparrow," he said scathingly, as though disbelieving of Jack's captaincy. "I demand a fight with you. If you win, I will leave, with my ship, and never bother you again. If I win, Fantine goes with me. If you refuse, I will signal with this flag and your ship will be destroyed. I, however, will escape, rowing away with the longboat I arrive in."

He indicated the bright red flag in his left hand.

Jack beamed, much to Fantine's surprise.  
"Excellent!" he exclaimed. "Let the match begin!"

"No!' protested Fantine. "No, don't fight!"

"This is not for you to decide," spat Tang-huai. Fantine moved between him and Jack, blocking them from each other.

Elizabeth looked on with wide eyes. Why was Fantine so keen to stop them from fighting? Jack was quite skilled with a sword – there was nothing to worry about.

"You—Turner," Tang-huai said to Elizabeth. "Order your crew to leave and not interfere."

Reluctantly, Elizabeth obeyed.

"Out of the way, Fantine," Tang-huai said roughly. She did not move, and Tang-huai promptly shoved her away. She was shunted aside, and before she could make further objections, Tang-huai unsheathed his sword with a rather menacing slicing noise and leaped toward Jack.

Jack turned on the spot and ran, drawing his sword as he did so. Tang-huai followed, Fantine not far behind.  
"Stop, stop!" she cried, dashing after Tang-huai. He ignored her and shouted, "Come back, coward pirate!"

If he hadn't been flailing his arms around so much as he ran, Jack might have run faster than the magistrate, being fitter and more suited to dashing away (he had plenty of practice in the past), but unfortunately, Tang-huai quickly caught up with him. Jack swung around just in time to block the sword flying at him.

Tang-huai struck this way, Jack blocked that way. It was undeniable that both men were proficient with swords, though admittedly it was quite entertaining to see the difference in the two men's faces: Tang-huai's face was scrunched in determination and concentration, while Jack was beaming and looked as though he was rather enjoying himself. They fought their way to the mast of the _Empress_, where Jack blocked Tang-huai one last time with a loud _shing!_ before seizing one of the ropes connecting the sail to the mast and yanking it, causing him to soar away and land neatly in the crow's nest. Tang-huai's next blow landed in the wood of the mast.

"No!" Tang-huai yelled, as Jack swung dexterously from sail to sail. He turned back to Fantine, who was dancing on tenterhooks as she watched Jack, wearing an expression of mixed fear and admiration.  
Furious, Tang-huai started toward the unsuspecting Fantine and struck her hard across the face with the back of his hand; she uttered a surprised "oh!" before crumpling to the ground.

Tang-huai laughed mirthlessly, saying, "Serves you right, stupid whore!"

Jack sailed through the air high above the deck and loosened his grip on the rope, so that he quickly neared the ground. He kept his hands on the rope, but raised his booted feet and kicked Tang-huai in the back. Winded, Tang-huai fell over forward, then rolled over and tried to catch his breath with difficulty.

Fantine leapt to her feet as Jack made a clean landing. "Oh, Jack – did you kill him?"

"Nope," Jack said briskly, looking down at Tang-huai.

"This bastard will never kill me!" Tang-huai said, jumping up suddenly with unexpected speed. Jack waved his sword at Tang-huai, who grabbed an oar, having lost his weapon when he fell.

Jack pulled out his pistol quickly; Tang-huai knocked it away with the oar, and thus the wily pirate swiftly redrew his sword.

The fight began again; Jack managed to block most of Tang-huai's blows, but this time, he was not so lucky as to win again: Tang-huai, with a well-placed swing, hit Jack in the skull with the oar.

He fell, to Fantine and Elizabeth's eyes as though in slow motion.

The two women gasped simultaneously and rushed over to him, but Tang-huai blocked Fantine.  
"No more," he snarled, pinning her to the wall and leering at her. "Your Jack Sparrow is no more. You are _mine _now."

He drew one finger down her neck to her collarbone. She shuddered at his cold touch.

"What are you doing?" she demanded.

Tang-huai smiled. "Imagining a knife slicing that beautiful neck."

Fantine's expression turned to one of horror. Off to the side, Elizabeth whimpered.

But Tang-huai made a mistake.

If he had been cleverer, the _Empress_ would have been reduced to pieces, Fantine would have died, as well as Elizabeth and her crew.

Tang-huai unwittingly released Fantine – only for a few seconds, to get his dagger, but in those few seconds, Fantine wiggled free and snapped her fingers, and Tang-huai found himself crashing into the rail and nearly falling overboard.

Gasping for breath, Fantine hurried to Jack, who was still on the floor, either dead or conscious.

"Is he dead?" Fantine asked Elizabeth.

Elizabeth gave Fantine a hopeless look; she had no idea.

"Oh, please don't be dead, oh, please…."

Fantine touched his face. At her contact, Jack opened his eyes and gazed at her blearily.

"You're all right!" she cried, smiling in relief.

"I wouldn't say 'all right'," Jack said, sitting up. "Inflicted with an alarmingly painful headache, perhaps. If you define that as 'all right', then yes, I suppose I am."

"You're alive," Fantine pointed out. Typical Jack. He had almost suffered a concussion and certainly a large bump on his head, but even that would not take away his sardonic sense of humor.

"Not for long."

There was a threatening click behind them.

All three slowly turned to look at Tang-huai, holding Jack's dropped pistol and aiming it at them.

"Come here. Fantine," he said viciously. Fantine stared at him, her eyes a shadow of the smoldering fire inside her.

"Come here!" he ordered again, shifting the pistol so that it was aimed at Jack. "Or else they both die!"

Fantine got up and walked over to him, furious. Tang-huai moved the pistol on to her.

"This will teach you a lesson, you dirty wretch," he hissed. "May He spite the evil and scorch their souls forever!"

A deafening gunshot rang out.

But Tang-huai fell for the second time during the battle – he was dead. Fantine, who had closed her eyes in fright, cautiously opened them again and looked at Jack and Elizabeth.  
Jack was still holding the pistol that fired the shot. He slowly lowered it, looking guilty but relieved. Fantine simply stared for a few moments, then slumped to the floor, weak. Jack reholstered his second pistol and walked over to Fantine, followed by a nervous Elizabeth, who was noticed to have daintily kept out of the way of the dead Tang-huai.

"Are you all right?" he asked, his voice surprisingly kind.

"Are i

"Are you all right?" he asked, his voice surprisingly kind.

"Are_ you_?" she replied.

Jack grinned. "Better than ever, love."

------------

"Hey, look – land."

Jack Sparrow and Elizabeth Swann-Turner looked where Fantine was pointing. Sure enough, on the golden horizon of sunrise, land could be spotted.

"Consult your map," Fantine suggested. Jack nodded, and strode off to examine the map.

"_Aqua de Vida_," Jack muttered. "Yep – thar she blows."

Then Jack noticed something odd on his map, something he had not noticed before. There was the _Empress_, a small black dot, traveling steadily toward the Fountain of Youth. In the opposite direction, another black dot was also making quick progress toward the _Empress' _destination.

"What's that?" Elizabeth asked, also leaning over the map and pointing at the other black dot. It was not labeled.

Jack shrugged. "Either way, love, you ought to weigh anchor and prepare to slow the speed, lest we crash into – what's this land? Florida? Yes, we wouldn't want to crash into Florida, would we, now, love?"

He smirked at Elizabeth. "Oh, sorry. I seem to have momentarily forgotten your dislike of naval advice. My contrite apologies."

Elizabeth scowled, not all appreciating Jack's matter-of-fact attitude, but lifted her head and called, "Weigh anchor and douse canvas! Prepare to make port!"

Florida, land of the Fountain of Youth and home to its guardian, Takimageya, was a lush green terrain dotted with trees and not a living thing in sight. It did, however, seem to welcome its newcomers in longboats with a fresh scent of earth.

"This is going to be rather difficult," Jack said with a sigh, once he had climbed out of the longboat. Beyond the beige beach, all they could see was green, green, green. "What, Fantine?"

Fantine was squinting at sea, at something behind Jack.

"Is that another ship?"

Jack spun around; Elizabeth turned unenthusiastically, evidently bored with all the delays in freeing her beloved Will.  
It _was _another shop, and Jack recognized the billowing black sails immediately, even from a distance.

"Is that –the _Pearl?_" Elizabeth asked uncertainly.

Jack grinned and punched the air uncharacteristically. Elizabeth grimaced at his stranger-than-usual behavior, but decided to ignore the _Pearl's _imminent arrival and turn back to Jack.  
"Perhaps there is another riddle to solve," she suggested. "Don't you remember, when we were rescuing you from Davy Jones' Locker –"

"Excuse me?" Jack interrupted. "_Rescue_ me? I seem to recall your ship was crushed to bits when you sailed over that waterfall. If anything, _I _rescued _you._"

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. Not even his own death and then escape from the Locker could puncture Jack's pride.

"Yes, I'm very grateful," she said sarcastically. "But don't you think the _Aqua de Vida_ would be well protected, unpenetratable except by those who proved their worth?"

"You think there's another riddle to solve?"

"Yes, I said that already—"

"How very ingenious of you, love!" Jack exclaimed. He gave Elizabeth a broad grin. "Why don't you have a lookie at the map, and tell me where the riddle is?"

He pulled the map from his coat pocked and thrust it tat Elizabeth, who took it uncertainly and unfurled it. Jack watched Elizabeth furrow her brows as she searched the map.  
"Are we just going to wait here and let whoever's on that ship find us?" demanded Fantine.

"Of course not," Jack assured her. "You see, that's _my_ ship. I am the rightful captain of _my _ship."

"No riddle," Elizabeth announced dejectedly. She handed the map back to Jack, looked distressed. He unceremoniously stuffed it back in his coat pocket.

Then, spotting a longboat in the near proximity, Jack dashed off and ran through the shallow water at shore, beaming.

"Barbossa!" he exclaimed, with too much zeal to be believable. "Barbossa, you old dog, how are you, mate?" He stopped at the deepest water that would not wet anything other than his boots, and without waiting for the surprised Barbossa's answer, shouted, "Oh, look – Gibbs! Marty! Pintel! And, uh, you, with the one eye!"

Fantine winced. "Who are these people?" she asked Elizabeth.

"Jack's crew," Elizabeth explained, looking at Barbossa with some dislike.

Jack splashed back through the clear blue waters to the two women, shortly followed by the dirty double crosser, Hector Barbossa, and Gibbs, Mary, Pintel, and the man with the one eyes – Ragetti, who wore an eye patch over his empty right eye socket.

"What are you doing here, mate?" Jack asked Barbossa with a huge, fake smile. "How did you even get here? You know I've got the map."

"Aye, that you do," Barbossa agreed darkly. "But you forgot – Captain Sao Feng's map collection did not consist of only _that _map you have."

"You gave him Sao Feng's maps?" Jack demanded of Elizabeth, his grin fading.

"No," Elizabeth said honestly, before turning to Barbossa. "You broke into Sao Feng's secret map collection?"

Barbossa twirled his scraggly beard, smiling mysteriously.

"That's for me to know, and for you to –"

"Know," Jack said, hoisting another beam onto his face. "Right now. Well. I expect you're attempting to locate the _Aqua de Vida_?"

Barbossa scowled. "Aye, and you best not get in the way."

"Barbossa, my good man," Jack said genially, "how could you think so lowly of me? Of course I want to find that bloody Fountain, but you know what else I want? _My _ship."

Gibbs and Marty both glared at Barbossa, who sighed and put up his hands in resignation. Ragetti gave an odd sort of shrill giggle, and Pintel's face transformed into a question mark at the strange sound.

"You see, here, mate," Jack said quietly, grabbing Barbossa by the shoulder and leading him away from the relatively large group. "You took my ship yet again. I want it back. Let's make an accord. I help you with the _Aqua de Vida_, and you give me my ship back."

Barbossa smirked. "Jack, Jack," he said mournfully. "You forget that I, too, am in possession of one of Sao Feng's maps."  
"Are you?" Jack asked rhetorically. He jerked his head at Fantine. Barbossa looked over at her.

She was holding Barbossa's copy of Sao Feng's map, spinning it around in her fingers.

"What—what—" Barbossa spluttered.

"_You _forget," Jack reprimanded, "or perhaps you just never knew … I am in company of a witch." He took a few seconds to enjoy the look of astonishment on Barbossa's face. "So … do we have an accord, mate?"

Jack held out his right hand. Barbossa paused, then grudgingly took Jack's offered hand and shook.

"Right then," Jack said briskly, "I'm feeling rather good about this!"

Elizabeth and Fantine exchanged smirks.

Leave it to Jack, they both though decidedly as Jack turned to them and grinned in triumph.

----------

Author's note:

Wow! Longest chapter yet!

I'd like to thank those of you who read, and even more gratitude goes to those who review. Again, I know it's sometimes time wasting to post reviews, but it really does help me know how I can improve on my writing, so I hope you'll take a few minutes to type what you thought! Thanks.

Also, I think there might be some things that could be confusing. Fantine's real name, _Fan-ting_, means "graceful sail" in Chinese. Tang-huai mean "evil sugar", describing his first impression of kindliness and cruel true self. And Wei-Hsiung (real Chinese spelling: Wei-Xiong) means vicious appetite, haha. That was just a joke, because I wanted a little inside joke for myself.

More to come, and thanks again for reading!


	7. A Foresty Florida

Florida may have been the land of _Agua de Vida_, but the Fountain and its guardian certainly weren't going to jump out at them, begging them to take a drink from its mystic waters. Indeed, as the large group walked across the green plains, nothing except grass and trees were to be seen.

Jack and Barbossa walked at the head of the group, obviously competing for title of "leader." They silently squabbled, trying to walk ahead of each other, paying little attention to where they were going. The others, quite aware of this, had little choice but to follow their aimless path.

They found themselves soon in a dark, shadowed forest; while they walked, Jack and Barbossa had not noticed the placement of the trees was less spacey.

They stopped short and turned to each other.

"Ye got us into this mess!" Barbossa yelled, his contained fury at Jack for blackmailing him for assistance exploding in the form of shouting.

Jack blinked. "Did I?" he asked rhetorically. "I don't recall myself getting into a mess, mate. Your memory must be addled."

Barbossa shook with anger; he looked as though he was about to detonate. At loss for words, apparently unable to translate his rage into words, he threw down his hat. Jack picked it up again, beaming and twirling it casually in his hands.

"Jack," Fantine said suddenly. He looked over at her; during his lapse of concentration on Barbossa, the old pirate grabbed his hat back.

"Yes, Fantine, love?"

"Let me see your map."

Perplexed, Jack removed his map from his safe spot inside his coat and handed it to her.

The forest floor was soft and covered with rich brown soil, but Fantine sat down and unfurled Jack's map. She then reached into the pocket of her dress to retrieve the map she had taken from Barbossa earlier, by magic (Barbossa growled), but Jack's map promptly rolled itself up again. Elizabeth sat down, too, to hold Jack's map open , while Fantine unrolled Barbossa's map, and compared the two.

Jack's map was round, obviously because he had removed the center piece, the only piece engraved with writing and pictures, from the outside rectangular piece. Barbossa's, however, was complete.

"Look at the edge of this one," Fantine said tersely, tapping Jack's map. Jack bent over to look, as well as the curious Gibbs, Marty, Pintel and Ragetti. Elizabeth leaned into the map, contemplating it. Barbossa watched them for a few moments, but then, his curiosity overcame his fury, and also went closer for a peek.

Jack stared at the edge, thinking. It was bordered with a peculiar design….

"Those are parts of letters!" he said loudly. Pintel and Ragetti jumped and tittered girlishly at their own foolishness, pointing at each other and accusing the other of cowardice. Jack ignored their banter and shifted so as to look at Barbossa's map. It was quite similar – written in a blue rather than black ink, and looking as though drawn by a different hand, but similar nonetheless. The border around the edges of the round part, too, matched that of Jack's map.

"And those…" Jack said slowly, "are … other parts of letters."

Fantine smiled. "Halves, to be exact," she said, tapping the round map again. "The top half." She tapped Barbossa's map. "The bottom half."

All of Barbossa's previous anger ebbed away, to be replaced by complete interest.

"Aye, you've got it," he said eagerly. He grabbed his map away from Fantine and quickly removed the bamboo rectangle surrounding the circles, and placed it back in Fantine's hands before she could protest.

Fantine decided to ignore this odd action. She placed the maps, edge to edge, moving them slowly, until Jack, Elizabeth, and Barbossa all gasped – they saw a word: _flowing_.

"What? What?" demanded Marty, jumping up and down. He was blocked from viewing the maps by Gibbs, Pintel and Ragetti. They moved aside to let him see, and as they did so, Fantine continued to revolve the maps.

As the maps were round, she had to keep rotating them to read the entire riddle.

_Shrouded under a cloak of green,_

_Flowing waters of peculiar sheen,_

_Should you wish life forevermore,_

_We help with these clues four._

_First, find when green becomes black_

_For that is a step you cannot lack._

_Second, Agua de Vida hides inside_

_A square that has been circumscribed._

_Third, sparks of gold which you may see,_

_Hint you are as near as can be._

_And fourth, do not overlook those simple rocks_

_For one may well be what 'tis not._

Everyone fell silent for several minutes, scrutinizing the maps.

Jack spoke first.

"Why must these riddles _always_ be so incomprehensible?" he complained, voicing the concerns of every man (and woman) present. "Any clever notion, Fantine, love?"

"No," Fantine admitted, sighing. For once, the witch was stumped.

Elizabeth got up and stomped her left foot twice, much to Jack's surprise.

"Think!" she commanded. "Everyone, think! This could be the only chance I get to free Will!"

Jack ignored her burst of impatience, still staring at the maps.

_Cloak of green_, he thought. Green, green, green … he had seen so much green in the past few hours. The grass, the trees…. the trees?

"The trees," he blurted.

"What?" Fantine said.

"The trees are the cloak of green," he said. _"Flowing and shrouded under a cloak of green_…the Fountain is hidden somewhere in the trees."

"Brilliant," Fantine murmured, looking thoughtful. "W_ater of peculiar sheen_. Yes, that must be referencing the water in the Fountain. It makes sense, doesn't it? The water has magical properties, so it seems reasonable to describe its having a 'peculiar sheen'."

"Let's search the forest, then," Elizabeth proposed, already beginning to walk off, but Barbossa called her back.

"It's no use going off in the forest to find it," he said, which was certainly true. "Unless you be wanting to search the _whole_ forest?"

"No," Elizabeth said.

"Then wait till the whole bloody riddle is solved," Jack said cheerfully. _So find where green turns black with haste_ … where did green turn black? In an art center, definitely. Painters could constantly mix up colors and easily turn green into black, but that was decidedly not an option. The idea of an art center hidden in the uninhabited forests of Florida was comical indeed.

"_Green turns black, green turns black_," Pintel and Ragetti sang together to no particular tune. "Hey!"

Barbossa frowned at them.

"Hey!" Pintel said again. "Green turns black. The leaves of trees look black at nighttime."

Jack's jaw dropped. Pintel was right, for the first time in the history of the Earth. The riddle was not referencing an _actual_ color change; it was referring to the appearance of trees at night: they became black.

Fantine smiled at Pintel, who blushed.

"You're right," she said. "I can't believe I didn't think of that. Green turns black at night, definitely. So … we can assume that the Fountain can only be found at night? At night in the forest?"

Elizabeth shuddered.

"At night in the forest?" she repeated.

"I can't fathom what the gold might be," Fantine said, shifting the maps again. "Perhaps it's the actual Fountain?"

"No matter," Jack said vigorously. "That's all the information we need! Off we go!"

"Go where?" Barbossa asked pointedly.

Jack gave him a surprised look.

"Out of the forest until night, of course. What did you think I was talking about, mate? Look at poor Mrs. Turner. She's shivering from the face that we have to go into the forest at night! It might be kinder, in fact, to just leave her out of the forest for good, while we found that goddess lady and her Fountain."

"No!" Elizabeth objected. "No, I have to help!"

"Excellent," Jack said. "What do you propose we do, then?"

-----------

Stella LeBrixetange's heavily lidded eyes scanned the seemingly endless sea. Perhaps it had been unwise for her to venture forth, into this netherworld – when would she get out? Stella put down her pail of murky water and laid the map next to it.

Besides, if she and Tommi managed to find the key, they had no way to return to the land of the living.

"Any ideas?"

The bitter voice who spoke belonged to Tommi de Vollorad; he had appeared next to Stella, also holding a mop of dirty water.

Stella shook her head.

"Great," Tommi said sarcastically. "This is really great, Stella. Whose idea was this? Oh, yes. _Yours_. We're stuck in Davy Jones' Locker, with no key and no chest. And we've become deckhands. Thanks to your clever idea that we offer help cleaning up the ship.

"Be quiet," Stella said threateningly. "I didn't know that we'd be stuck her for over nine years when I learned about the chest."

"And whose fault is that?" Tommi asked, acrimony in his voice.

"Mine," Stella admitted; she was not one who blamed her mistakes on others. "You've made your point. Leave me alone."

Stella turned her back on Tommi, grabbed the mop, plunged it into the pail of water, and began scrubbing the deck of the _Flying Dutchman_ with vigor.

Tommi sighed.

Where would William Turner hide his key?

His wife kept the chest: he knew that, and he knew Turner kept the key with him, somewhere on the ship.

Tommi pounded the rail of the _Dutchman_ with his fists. _Think_, he told himself. _Think._

Bootstrap Bill Turner scrutinized the zealously scrubbing Stella and the pondering Tommi, made uneasy by this image. He had heard the words "key" and "chest" many times in their whispered conversations. Bootstrap may have been old, but his hearing was quite as good as ever.

"William," he croaked, stepping into his son's cabin, where Will was sitting silently, looking out the single window with sadness. Will turned at the sound of his name.

"How are you feeling, son?" Bootstrap asked.

"Better," Will lied. He was not feeling better at all; there was still nine years and four months until he could see his beloved Elizabeth again. Time passed so slowly.

"Good," Bootstrap said, though he was certain Will was lying. "William … our guests are acting very … dodgy."

Will stared at his father. "Why – what's wrong?"

"They keep whispering to each other about the key and the chest," Bootstrap explained.

Will was silent.

"They're plotting something," Bootstrap said sullenly. "Hide the key elsewhere. Elizabeth has the chest; it should be safe in her hands."

Will nodded and walked over to a cabinet, from which he removed a tiny wooden box. A chain around his neck held a small golden key. He used this key to open the lock on the small box, which was engraved with the letters "ES" and "WT", inside a perfect heart shape.

"Will took out the black key that would open the Dead Man's Chest and looked Bootstrap, who shook his head.

"That box is safe enough, son," he said, and Will slowly lowered the key back into the little compartment. "The cabinet is not. Try some place else – inside the organ."

Davy Jones might have died, but his organ lived on. It stood in a corner of the captain's cabin, no longer covered with slime. Will lifted the lid of the organ, peered carefully inside, and gently placed the box on a musical pedestal. It did not matter if it damaged the instrument, for Will never played music.

If only Will and Bootstrap had looked to their left, for through a hole in the wall was a pair of avidly staring eyes.

---------

"We ought to find this 'square that has been circumscribed," Elizabeth said confidently. "At night, of course. I'm not frightened."

She drew herself up proudly.

"And in which direction do you suggest we go?" Barbossa asked roughly, the corners of his mouth turning down.

"Oh!" Fantine exclaimed suddenly.

They all looked at her; to everyone's surprise, she started laughing.

"I can't believe how silly we've been," she said. To Elizabeth, she asked, "What do you want most?"

"To free Will," Elizabeth declared. Of course.

"And how would you manage that?"

"By finding Takimageya and asking her to free him …" Elizabeth's words trailed off. "I thought the Fates said only they can free him, and Takimageya won't have her powers unless she's free?"  
Fantine smirked. "There are other ways," she said mysteriously. "The Fates don't want us to know, though." Then she continued with her questions. "And where would you find Takimageya?"

"The _Agua de Vida_," Elizabeth said slowly. Jack stared at the two conversing women, and it dawned on him – his compass.

With an unnecessary flourish, Jack removed his compass from his belt. Elizabeth looked from it to Fantine, obviously suddenly comprehending the girl's seemingly meaningless questions.

"So there's no need for the riddle at all!" Elizabeth exclaimed.

"Yes, there is," Fantine contradicted. "Look at the last line. 'Do not overlook those simple rocks, for one may well be something 'tis not.' Doesn't that sound like a warning? As though cautioning us to pay heed to what might be in the forest?"  
Jack pondered this, still clutching his precious compass.

"Yes," he said slowly. "But what matters the danger, if we don't meet it? They're rocks, the riddle says. Just avoid the bloody rocks."  
"You can avoid," Fantine agreed," but only those you can see. These riddles can be very dodgy. Rocks. Pebbles. They're rocks, too. We can't see those from far away, and by the time they prove they're something they're not, it might be too late."

Jack frowned. The girl was right (again).

"Kudos to you, love," he said. "Do you see another method as to navigated our way to _Agua de Vida_ safely?"

"No," Fantine said. "Our best hope is to follow your compass, and be very vigilant."

"Agreed," put in Barbossa. "Lead the way, Jacky!"

"Don't call me that," Jack said airily.

Elizabeth was beginning to look impatient again.

"Lead the way, then," she said.

Jack flipped open his compass and winced.

It was definitely pointing at someone present: Fantine.

"What?" Elizabeth demanded.

"I think my compass must be misreading my desires," Jack lied. He glanced at the dim light behind him, where the scattering of trees was more random, and through which he could see the green plains. "It must be pointing back at the ships, because I desperately need rum."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "You and your rum," she said. "Let me lead, then. I definitely want to find the Fountain."

Uneasy, Jack handed her the compass. Elizabeth opened it and waited for the arrow to stop spinning.

"This way," she said shortly, pointing into the deepest, darkest part of the forest.

-------

Author's note:

Another long chapter!

It took me forever to right that riddle/poem, and when I finished, I realized these pirate explorers don't need to solve the riddle, because they have Jack's compass. Silly me.

Wowwww, I can't wait to write the next chapter! You know what's funny?

I never have writer's block. :)


	8. Turner Reunion

Fantine Zheng was stuck.

In Jack Sparrow's head.

Jack shook his head, addled. Why was he feeling this way? _Why_ was his compass pointing to her? She was definitely not the thing he wanted most in this world; decidedly not. He certainly wanted immortality more. Forget love. LOVE, if it even exists. Oh, sure. There was Giselle. Scarlett. Tia Dalma. No, that wasn't love. That was _lust_. Different, even if they sound the same.

Jack began a battle with himself: Jack for loving Fantine versus Jack against loving Fantine.

_She's so pretty._

_But my heart belongs to the sea! The actual sea. Not Calypso. The sea, with the salty water. I. Love. The. Sea._

_You saved her life._

_That does not mean I have feelings for her._

_But she has feelings for me. Elizabeth said she was quite anxious when that Chinese bloke knocked me unconscious._

_Again, that does not mean I have feelings for her._

_She's beautiful, though._

_Yep, that's true._

_AHA! I KNEW IT! I do have feelings!  
No, I don't!_

_Yes!_

_No!_

_Yes! _

_No!_

"Jack?"

Jack looked over at Fantine. She was staring at him with some concern.

"You look as though you're in the midst of an inner emotions battle," she said.

Jack frowned at her. How did she know that? Was it just a coincidence, that she happened to be correct?

"Are you all right?"

"Oh, yes, love," he said dismissively. "Perfectly fine."

Fantine shrugged.

From the front of the odd procession, Elizabeth walked with Jack's weapon held in front of her. Barbossa stood next to her, holding a candle above the compass so Elizabeth could see.

Night had fallen; the only light present was that of the candle and of Fantine's orb necklace.

Jack, Gibbs, and Fantine walked behind Elizabeth and Barbossa, followed by Marty, who was having difficulty keeping up, due to his stature. Finally, Pintel and Ragetti trailed behind, giggling in the darkness.

Elizabeth suddenly screamed and made a sharp turn, falling down and nearly knocking the candle out of Barbossa's hand.

"Something, in there, moving," Elizabeth said breathlessly, picking herself up and brushing soil off the front of her clothes.

"A rock?" Pintel suggested.

"Something _alive_," Elizabeth replied, sounding rather frightened. How uncharacteristic of the brave, chivalrous Elizabeth Turner.

Barbossa muttered something about women's etiquette.

Everyone, including Jack, looked at Fantine.

"What?" she said, looking confused at the eyes focused on her.

"Come on, witch girl," Barbossa said. "You know everything … about everything!"

"What did you call me?" Fantine demanded.

"Nothing," said Barbossa quickly.

Fantine paused.

"It _was_ probably a rock," she said. "You know, the poem did warn --- ARRRGGHHH!"

She stopped talking abruptly and swatted her hands at something.

"What was that?" she cried. "It hit me in the face. Something furry. A bat, perhaps?"

"Yes!" Elizabeth said. "Yes, something furry attacked me. It felt like it had wings, and it gave a little screech."

Ragetti gave an odd, feminine squeal.

"Oooh!" he said. "Don't you think the rock transformed into a bat?"

"Rocks can't change into bats!" Pintel reprimanded him. They both looked at Fantine.

"Can they?"

"Of course they can," Fantine said, her composure regained.

Jack saw something just beyond her. Something gold. Gold sparks.

_Third, sparks of gold which you may see,_

_Tell that you are as near as can be._

"Look, love," he said. "Sparks of gold."

Fantine squinted.

"There?" she asked, pointing.

Jack nodded.

"Where is the compass pointing?" Fantine inquired. Elizabeth motioned to Barbossa; he moved over and held the candle over the compass again.

"Thataway," she said, pointing in the direction in which Jack had just seen gold sparks.

"Oh," Fantine said. "Well, just beyond this, we ought to arrive."

She pushed past Elizabeth and Barbossa and thrust her arms out with unwise recklessness, shoving tree branches and, judging by the sound of several loud screeches, an animal was dislodged from its home.

They all looked at each cluelessly, then quickly dashed after Fantine. In the few moments they took to wonder at her sanity, she had made quick progress.

The tree branches suddenly disappeared, and lights burst in front of Jack's eyes. He blinked, momentarily blinded.

"Here we are," said Fantine, sounding satisfied.

As Jack adjusted to the lights, which were as bright as day, he saw that they were standing in a clearing, which seemed to be exactly round. The ground here was covered not by soil but by round, flat rocks, each about ten centimeters in diameter. At first sight, they all seemed to be white, but then Jack noticed that some were a light orange, and all these were together, forming a perfect square whose corners touched the circumference of the circle.

"_Agua de Vida hides inside a square that has been circumscribed," _intoned a woman's voice.

Jack looked around.

At the center of the square was a fountain. Built by marble, adorned with rich jewels, _Agua de Vida_ was shaped rather like a giant goblet, but a smaller, upright spout protruded from its center. Water cascaded from this spout; water which shimmered with a peculiar sheen.

"Welcome," said the woman's voice again.

"Er," said Elizabeth. "Thank you, but … where are you?"

At once, a woman rose from the water in the Fountain, yet as she stepped out with feminine grace, she was completely dry.

"Welcome," she said again, smiling and revealing a row of straight, white teeth. Her skin, brown with hints of red, was well oiled, and her lush black curled wildly. The cloth of her pale blue dress flowed exactly the same way water did, but rather slowly.

"Your Honor, um … Takimageya?" Elizabeth said hesitantly.

"Yes," Takimageya said. "But I have no title, Mrs. Elizabeth Turner. And I am afraid I cannot help you."  
"What do you mean?" Elizabeth said quickly.

"I do not have the power to free William Turner from his curse," Takimageya explained heavily. "Even if the Orb of Destiny were to be destroyed, I am stripped of my powers, and those who can free me refuse to."

"Your sisters mightn't want to free you," Fantine said, stepping forward boldly, "but we do."

For some reason, Takimageya looked frightened.

"Have a seat," she said politely, waving her hands, so that eight chairs appeared out of thin air. Jack sat down first, making himself comfortable. Taking his lead, Pintel and Ragetti also sat down noisily. The others followed more slowly.

"What do _you _mean?" Takimageya asked.

Fantine sighed. She pulled out the necklace from which the Orb of Destiny dangled. Takimageya gasped.

"Niece of Sao Feng," she said breathlessly. "So it's true? Both your uncle and your father are dead?"

"Yes," Fantine said miserably, as though she would rather be with her living father and uncle, but not be in possession of the orb. "And even if your sisters refuse to free you, their way is not the only way." Fantine turned to Jack and Barbossa. "How did you free Calypso?"

"Pieces of eight," Jack and Barbossa said in unison. They glared at each other.

"Exactly," Fantine said.

"You know … of the Way?" Takimageya said slowly, looking rather fearful. "But the only way to free myself, with help of course, is to gain ownership of my sisters' most prized possessions."

"You don't have their most prized possessions," Fantine said shortly. "I do."

"What?"

For answer, Fantine snapped her fingers. The bamboo trunk Jack had seen, months ago, appeared. Fantine got out of her chair, swept over to the trunk, and opened it. She removed three items: a clam shell, a piece of coral, and a simple wooden bowl.

"How – how did you—"

"Samika would have done well to have freed you by her own will," Fantine said. "Otherwise, I would not have resorted to stealing."

"Stealing?" Jack inquired. "How did you steal those? You were with us the whole time. Talking. Loudly."

"Magic," Fantine explained simply. "Do you wish to be free?" she asked the former Fate.

"I –yes, of course," Takimageya said. "But it will anger Samika. I hate to think what she would do to me …"

"You have no choice," Fantine said kindly, although the words she spoke did not sound so. "Whether you like it or not, you are going to be free. Captain Barbossa!"

Barbossa stood up hastily; Fantine emitted an aura of authority.

"You recall the incantation you used to free Calypso?" she asked bossily.

"Aye," Barbossa said. "It be, 'Calypso, I free you from your human bonds!'"

"There you go," Fantine said briskly. "Jack. Burn the shell and the coral."

She threw the shell and coral into the wooden bowl, which Barbossa stared it. It looked vaguely familiar.

Jack raised his eyebrows; thoughts interrupted again. He reluctantly left the comfortable chair, and tried to light a fire with the sticks Fantine provided him.

When the twigs caught fire, Jack promptly dropped them in surprise. Fantine scooped them up and dumped them into the bowl as well, and the fire quickly spread to the Fates sisters' most prized possessions.

The wind suddenly became stronger; Takimageya looked up with fear as the wind howled. Indeed, its howling rather sounded like women screaming.

"Hold the bowl, please," Fantine said, shoving the bowl into Takimageya's hands. She held it, looking both scared and eager.

"Barbossa," Fantine said again. "Say the incantation."

"It must be said as though spoken to a lover," Barbossa said, "and I'm no good with emotional speaking."

"Me!" Ragetti said brightly. "I'll do it!"

"Fine, you do it," Fantine said, stepping back and away from the growing fire.

"Tamakawageya," Ragetti began, but Fantine interrupted.

"That's not the right name!" she protested. "It's _Takimageya._"

"Sorry," Ragetti said, wincing at her harsh tone. "Takimageya, I free you … from your human bonds!"

Takimageya closed her eyes, and the next moment, everyone, including Fantine, jumped back in fright.

The goddess' body caught fire, but her expression of peace said quite plainly that she was feeling no pain. As she burned, nothing at all seemed to be damaging her, other than the fact that she was encased in a glowing ball of fire.

The fire suddenly went out. Takimageya dropped the bowl; the coral and shell were, amazingly, unhurt. Barbossa looked down at them, remembering that Calypso's liberation had involved completely destroying the pieces of eight. Had it worked?

Takimageya's eyelids fluttered open. She looked slightly confused, as though waking from a long sleep.

"Oh," she said, her voice even richer than before, "I feel so …_free!_"

Barbossa stared. Perhaps he could not compare Calypso's liberation to that of other goddesses, for when Ragetti set Calypso free, she grew to spectacular size and height and disappeared in a shower of crabs. Takimageya, however, looked much the same.

Her actions, however, were not so timid. She reached out to Fantine and grabbed the orb from around her neck. Fantine gasped in pain as the chain snapped, and Takimageya threw the orb into the Fountain of Youth. A shattering of glass was heard.

Fantine wore an almost comical expression of bewilderment.

"It's done," Takimageya said. Her voice rang with old magic and authority. "Done. William Turner. I call you from your state of cursedness!"

Nothing happened.

Elizabeth jumped up from her chair too, as Takimageya closed her eyes once more, muttering spells under her breath.

Then, in a rush of smooth wind that smelled of the sea, Elizabeth's lost love appeared.

Will Turner looked confused as well.

"Where am I?" he asked slowly.

"Will?" Elizabeth asked cautiously. Will turned and spotted her.

"Elizabeth!" he cried joyfully, running over to his wife and embracing her.

"But – what--?" he said questioningly, looking around at the rest of them. "Jack? Barbossa? What are you all … _what_?"

Jack grinned in spite of himself.

"Take a good look at your chest, mate," he said. Will let go of a sobbing Elizabeth and looked down at his chest.

His scar was gone.

Flabbergasted, Will placed his hand over where his heart should be, and felt, softly but surely, the beating of a heart.

--------

OOOHWAAHHH

YAY! Will's back! Finally.

Oh, and I'm quite surprised that some of you (cough, Silvia X) realized that there is a relationship between Stella LeBrixetange (who, unfortunately, will be very happy in the next chapter: hint, hint) and Bellatrix Lestrange from the Harry Potter series.

Allow me to explain.

Stella LeBrixetange and Bellatrix Lestrange _are _related. Their names are perfect anagrams of each other. Go on, try it. The s from Stella will match up with the s from Lestrange, and so on. I also made their appearances similar, although I wanted Stella to be prettier, like Bellatrix from her pre-Azkaban days. I based Stella off Bellatrix because I needed a villain, and I love Harry Potter (the stories, not the boy/man), and Bellatrix is probably one of the most evil woman characters in Harry Potter, besides Dolores Umbridge, who is disgustingly ugly. Also, Tommi de Vollorad is a perfect anagram of Tom Marvolo Riddle.

That should give you a hint as to whether Stella and Tommi are good or bad. Or, in literary terms, protagonists or antagonists.

I'd also like to give my appreciation once more for those who read and/or review, and if you read this, please review or leave me a message stating whether you'd like a sequel, though admittedly I should probably ask that question when the story is almost finished. Either way, I probably will write a sequel, because I already have this story and the beginning of the sequel planned out, and GUESS WHAT? Guess. Fine, I'll tell you. More Harry Potter based characters in the sequel! Yay! At least one, so far. His name is Sir Bumblebee. I hope you can guess who he's based off, and if not, go to a Harry Potter fansite and read the character name backgrounds.

Okay, I'm ranting.

I'm stopping.

Done.


	9. The Dutchman Returns

Bootstrap Bill was confused.

He had just been having a meaningful conversation with his son, and when Bootstrap sneezed, he had lifted his head to find William gone.

Nothing left at all, except a bit of glittering silver powder that smelled of flowers.

Now Bootstrap sauntered out of his son's cabin, onto the deck, trying to look calm.

"Have you seen William?" he asked Stella, who was once again scrubbing the floor.

An unwise move.

Stella stopped scrubbing and slowly looked up.

"The captain's gone?" she asked, cleverly disguising the greed in her voice.

Bootstrap nodded, noticing that Stella's eyes shone with excitement. Uneasy, he offered the explanation.

"I was just speaking to him, and he vanished," Bootstrap told her.

"That's such a shame," Stella said, faking a forlorn expression. "Because I know exactly what's happened."

Stella wasn't lying.

"You do?"

"Yes," she said. "Captain Turner has been released from servitude of his duty."

Bootstrap's face unexpectedly lit up. "William? He got away?"

"Yes," Stella said again.

Bootstrap looked momentarily overjoyed, then his face fell. He narrowed his eyes at Stella. "How are you so sure of this?"

Stella sighed.

"Magic," she admitted. This was perfectly true. Fantine Zheng was not the only witch in the pirate world.

Stella smiled inwardly at the suspicion and fright now evident on Bootstrap's face.

"Who will be captain?" she asked him.

"Whoever is fittest," Bootstrap replied, edging away from her.

"Have a vote," Stella suggested.

"That's the rules," Bootstrap told her. "Go ahead – place yourself on the ballot."

Bootstrap broke into a run and dashed away.

Stella smirked and went off to find Tommi, who was in the kitchens, washing pots.

"Good news, Tommi," she said, twirling a piece of her hair and giving him a satisfied smile.

-------

Jack was feeling rather embarrassed, as Elizabeth threw her arms around Will once more, shedding tears of joy. He found himself wondering whether a woman would ever cry from happiness at sight of him, and if that woman might be Fantine, but he quickly corrected these thoughts.

_The sea_, he reminded himself. _I love the sea_.

"Oh, Will," sobbed Elizabeth, "ten years is certainly too long! I could barely last eight months!"

"It's over now, Elizabeth," Will comforted.

Jack looked around nervously, trying to find a way to distract the lovers from the teary reunion.

"Don't you think those Fates girls are going to be a tad bit upset?" he asked the group at large, still looking around. He paused. Someone was missing. "My lady?"

But Takimageya had disappeared.

Jack raised his eyebrows. "So the Fountain is unguarded?" He glanced around furtively, and when no one protested, walked up to the _Agua de Vida_.

Floating on the surface of the water was a roughly hewn wooden goblet. Jack grasped it, cautiously scooped up a gobletful of the shining, clear water, and raised it to his mouth.

"Cheers," he said, toasting the cupless Barbossa, who was eagerly watching, obviously to see if the water worked before he tried it.

Jack downed the goblet of water.

"How is it?" Fantine asked, as though skeptical of the water's power.

Jack did not answer right away. He felt as though ice was traveling through his system. Then, as the cold flowing through his veins slowly disappeared, he felt as though his opportunities were endless.

"Excellent!" he exclaimed, beaming. He tossed the empty goblet back into the water and examined his arms. They looked no younger than they had before. "Hmm. I don't seem to look much younger, do I?"

"You didn't _want_ to look younger," Fantine explained. "The water can do two things: make you young once more, or make you deadless."

Barbossa grinned. "My turn," he said happily, stepping forward and also helping himself to a gobletful of water, but he promptly spat it back out, onto the ground.

"What --!" he said in surprise, spluttering. "This isn't water!"

For some reason, Fantine was smirking.

"What nonsense is this?" Jack demanded. "Of course it is."

He strode over to the Fountain and looked down at the water. To his immense surprise, the once clear water had become a murky brown liquid.

Jack's face showed genuine astonishment as he looked up at Barbossa.

"Oh, I must have forgotten to mention," Fantine spoke up suddenly. Barbossa gave her a threatening look, but she continued nevertheless. "Only one person can drink from the Fountain. Per visit. And those who come with the drinker can never visit again, without Takimageya's permission."

She gave an even broader smirk. Barbossa's face turned bright red as he turned to Jack, furious.

"You knew this, you – you—"

"Gotta go," Jack said quickly, grabbing his compass from where Elizabeth had left it on her chair and tearing out of the clearing, into the dim-lighted forest.

Jack saw it was sunrise when he reached the exit of the thick trees, but that would help him – it would make him easier to spot.

"Wait—Captain!"

That sounded nothing like Barbossa's thick voice, but Jack ignored it and continued to run, unsheathing his sword as he did so just in case.

He reached the white sanded beach, found the longboat in which Barbossa had arrived, and jumped in. He grabbed the oars and began to row, but had gone barely two feet when Gibbs appeared, clutching the stitch in his chest. He, too, leapt into a longboat, shortly followed by Pintel, Ragetti, and a heavily panting Marty.

Gibbs seized the other pair of orbs and, together with Jack's furious rowing, the boat reached Jack's long lost _Pearl._

Jack eagerly climbed up onto his beloved ship, grinning even as he ordered the crew to prepare for leave at top speed.

There were, however, new members of the crew, no doubt appointed by Barbossa. They looked skeptically at Jack.

"It's all right!" Gibbs announced, jumping up onto the ship as well. "This is Captain Jack Sparrow. Forget Barbossa. He fell behind."

That was good enough for the crew, and so they quickly set to work.

Jack beamed as the ship set sail and began to move; he had spotted Barbossa on the shore, shouting.

"That's my ship!" Barbossa yelled.

Jack waved at him.

"Where?" he yelled back. "I don't see it! What ship?"

Barbossa began to jump up and down in anger. It was quite entertaining indeed.

Jack whirled around and found himself almost face-to-face with Fantine.

"What—" he began.

Fantine was smirking again.

"Witch," she reminded him. "How do you feel? Immortal?"

"No," Jack admitted. "I feel giddy and optimistic."

"Those are aftereffects of becoming immortal," Fantine said in a warning voice.

She swept her overgrown bangs out of her eyes.

"Captain Barbossa is very upset," she told him.

Jack shrugged. "No matter," he said carelessly. "The old fool isn't a captain anymore, now, is he?"

Gibbs spoke up. "Sir, Barbossa did mention he would have willingly given you the _Pearl_ back if you had a ship just as good."

Jack swore. "Your stepbrother is going to be in for it, love, for taking the _Dynasty_ _Warrior_."

"Of course he is," Fantine said lightly, but at the mention of her stepbrother, she looked stricken and almost ill.

Jack felt a strong urge to kiss her, but resisted.

"You look odd," Fantine said, giving him a look that plainly said she was concerned about his sanity.

The girl's comment did it. Before he could control himself, Jack pulled Fantine into his arms and kissed her.

_What are you doing, Jacky?! _

_Kissing her, of course._

_Stop it!_

_No. I'm enjoying myself._

_STOP IT!_

Jack released her, his feelings at war again. She looked vaguely surprised as he let her go, but she did not slap him. How unexpected.

"What was that for?" she finally said, looking baffled.

"I…" Jack tried to find a reason for his unpredicted action. "I was lacking anything else to do."

The corners of Fantine's mouth twitched.

"You kissed me!" she said accusingly.

"You kissed me back," Jack pointed out.

"But—I—" Fantine trailed off. "All right, fine. I enjoyed it. You started it, though. You know you started it."

"I'm quite aware of that, love," Jack told her. "I'm not sure why I …"

He, too, trailed off, uncharacteristically inarticulate.

"Captain!"

Gibbs' shout saved Jack from the trouble of explaining.

"Yes, Mr. Gibbs?"

"The _Flying Dutchman_!"

Gibbs pointed eastward.

There, on the horizon, was a familiar ship. Its sails were thin and torn, like cobwebs, but still flapped willfully in the strong wind.

Fantine gave Jack a questioning look.

"Wasn't that … the ship Will captained?"

Jack made no answer, staring at the ship with a hard to read expression. Fantine tried again.

"Who's captaining it now?"

Again, Jack had no answer. He looked distressed, and turned around abruptly.

"Mr. Gibbs!"

"Cap'n?" Gibbs responded, sharing Jack's appearance of anxiety.

"Adjust the main mast sails to face two degrees starboard," Jack said quickly. "Sail away as quickly as possible."

"Aye aye, Captain."

The harassed looking first mate set to work immediately, assisted by other willing members of the crew, all appearing quite nervous.

"What's wrong?" Fantine demanded.

"The _Flying Dutchman_," Jack said rapidly, "should have no captain, unless the crew chose one."

"Is that so bad?" Fantine asked.

"A truly unsettling idea, love," Jack said, "that the crew of the _Flying Dutchman_ would vote for a captain. Like the Pirate Lords of the Brethren, each member of the crew votes for no one but himself. Have you seen my spyglass?"

Fantine handed Jack his spyglass. He raised it to his eye and squinted, then slowly lowered it, looking disgusted.

"Beckett," he said shortly. "Wait, what? No, Beckett's dead. Calypso, the maelstrom, the old bloke walking through debris before his ship blew up … yes, I remember. That can't be Beckett."

"Who's Beckett?" Fantine questioned.

Jack gave the spyglass back to Fantine, who reluctantly took it and looked through.

"Which one is he?"

"The ice cream man, love," Jack said. Seeing her confused expression, he added. "He's got a white wig, makes him look like a delicious dessert."

"Oh," Fantine said.

There was, no doubt, a man in a perfectly coifed white wig strolling across the deck of the _Flying Dutchman_, dressed impeccably in a neat suit of the finest material.


	10. Silver Smoke

"They are staring at us," observed Stella, flipping her lush hair and smiling at Tommi.

Tommi showed his agreement with a haughtily satisfied nod.

"Let's go over there, Tommi," Stella suggested, sounding excited.

"Yes," Tommi concurred. He nodded at the white-wigged, stiffly standing man at the helm. "And let's bring our … little friend."

------

Jack strode over to the nearest sail and flapped his hands at it, trying to increase wind speed. Unsurprisingly, this had no effect.

"Captain Sparrow."

Jack froze. This was not the familiar, smooth, Anglo-Franco accent of Fantine Zheng, who had slipped out of sight after Jack kissed her, not the gruff drawl of Hector Barbossa, not the confident pitch of Joshamee Gibbs, and most definitely not the masculine tone of Will Turner. The accent was, in fact, a thick Saxonesque British, and it sounded exactly like Cutler Beckett.

"Captain Sparrow, if you please…do me the courtesy of looking at me."

There was no escaping this. Jack turned around very slowly and stared.

"Are you a ghost, mate?" he asked uncertainly.

"Of course not," said Lord Beckett. He smiled rather viciously. Jack looked from him to the two people flanking him – a man and a woman. There was a sudden gust of strong wind, and the man's thin white shirt flapped open. Jack glanced at the man's temporarily bare chest and let his jaw drop slightly.

The man's chest was embellished unhandsomely with a fresh read scar, directly over his scar.

Jack recovered quickly and gave Beckett a false grin.

"So, you survived the maelstrom, did you, mate?" he asked Beckett.

Beckett looked confused.

"Maelstrom?" he repeated, his malicious leer faltering.

Jack paused. "You know, heavy rains, big whirlpool, bunch of barnacle covered folk, and a squid face bloke…"

"Oh," said Beckett. "You think I'm Cutler Beckett."

Jack did a double take.

"What?" he said.

"I am not, as you think, Lord Cutler Beckett," the Beckett look-alike said gravely. "He is departed. I am his successor. Lord Cornel Felton."

"I swear, mate," Jack said in awe, "you like _exactly_ like him."

"I choose to take that as a compliment," Felton said coldly.

"Could go either way," Jack answered with a shrug of apathy.

"I am not here to listen to your rummy mouth spout vile, meaningless words," Felton snapped. Jack tried to look affronted. "I'm quite sure that you are aware that this—"

Felton gestured at the ship still a reasonable distance from the _Pearl_—"is the _Flying Dutchman_."

"Ah, yes," Jack said unconcernedly. "I might recognize it. Get to the point, mate."

"Give us Captain Sao Feng's navigational charts, or else we shall attack."

Jack lolled his tongue around, looking curiously at Felton and stalling for time.

"I can't do that, mate," he said solemnly. "You see, even if I give you the blessed maps, I can't trust you to just skip away all happy, see? I'm a pirate. I know when folks are lying, and I'm very disappointed to say, you're lying right now. I'm the notorious _Captain_ Jack Sparrow, and the East India Trading Company has been on my tail for years. So if I'm just a foolish bloke what gives you the maps, hoping you'll _not_ attack, then … I'm just a foolish bloke. Fortunately, though, I'm not a foolish bloke! I'm a clever bloke!"

Felton's face was becoming more scrunched by the moment.

"And clever blokes, see," Jack went on, "would rather sink to the bottom of the sea with the maps, rather than sink to the bottom of the sea without the maps. Savvy?"

"So you'd rather die with your maps," Felton said flatly.

Jack beamed.

"Exactly! Glad to know you've got a brain."

Felton turned to the man and woman behind him, looking sour.

"No luck," he told them. They both glared at Jack, who was still beaming.

"Fine," the woman snarled; she grabbed the man's thick, sinewy arm with one hand, and the back of Felton's coat with the other. And they vanished.

Jack had become rather used to this magic, but somehow, it was different from Fantine brand of sparkling witchcraft. It did indeed remind him of the late Davy Jones' teleportation techniques.

"They made him captain, didn't he?"

"Bugger," muttered Jack; he was growing tired of people's habits of talking to his back. He turned to a forlorn looking Fantine, who was standing alongside an even more pathetic looking Gibbs.

"Yes," he admitted in a resigned voice. "But there's no time to lose, mate! And lady," he added, with a nod to Fantine. "Sail with the wind. We're faster than the _Dutchman _that way. Get to!"

Jack clapped his hands and roughly shoved Gibbs aside to take the wheel at the helm.

The _Flying Dutchman_ was turning. Jack looked nervously at it, then twiddled the wheel, so the _Black Pearl_ mimicked the movement.

Fantine screamed – the _Dutchman_ had vanished, sinking abruptly beneath the waters. Even as it did so, another ship was nearing the _Pearl_: the _Empress_. Jack shot it a startled look, looking up at the sails, which were puffing up and then deflating rapidly, due to the strong winds.

As the _Pearl_ moved toward the _Empress_, rumbles could be heard underneath the surface of the waters. Fantine, recovering from her first shock, leaned over the rail and peered into the water.

"Come back here, Fantine," Jack ordered.

Fantine turned back, but as she turned, there was a great _thump_, and the poor girl fell overboard, shrieking once again.

Jack swore and left the wheel. Gibbs ran to grab it before the entire ship lost control, as Jack dove into the waters.

Fantine struggled with her heavy black dress, coughing, spluttering, and sinking. Jack seized her, also fighting with the dress, and started to drag her back toward the ship.

The combined weight of Fantine, her dress, and the water soaking the dress was making Jack sink.

"Damn those blockheads who made corsets," he muttered, treading water and propping Fantine up. Apparently, she had inhaled too much water, for her head lolled to one side, proving she was unconscious. Memories emerged from the back of Jack's mind; he had saved Elizabeth Turner, then Swann, in much the same way.

The ocean floor gave another thunderous rumble as Jack untied the back of the dress and discarded it, not pausing to watch it descend to the bottom of the sea.

Without the dress, Fantine was much lighter. Jack was able to swim back to the _Pearl_, where Gibbs hurriedly flung a thick rope overboard, which Jack grabbed.

With the loyal efforts of Gibbs and Cotton, Jack and Fantine flopped on deck rather like caught fish.

"Water in the lungs," Gibbs supplied, helping Jack lay the still Fantine on the deck floor.

"Aye," agreed Jack. He gave a great thump the Fantine's chest.

She rolled over onto her side, coughed, and spat out a mouthful of water.

"How you doing?" Jack asked. He could feel Gibbs' and Cotton's eyes on him, and was uncomfortably aware that they were astonished (as much as he was) to hear the concern in his voice.

"Fine," Fantine said, not appearing fine at all. She sat up and looked down in surprise; she was now dressed in only her gossamer chemise. "Am I…?"

"Put it this way, love," Jack explained flippantly. "Choose. Your life, or your dress."

"My life, of course," Fantine said, placing a hand on her ribs and wincing.

In his haste to rescue Fantine, Jack had not paid any attention to the nearing ship.

The _Empress_ was parallel to the _Pearl, _yet still quite some distance away. Fantine now stood up, staggered, and immediately grabbed Jack's arm for support.

The sea gave one final growl. Uneasy, Jack looked up in concern, intending to ask for his spyglass; yet, there was no need for a spyglass. It was quite clear what ship was erupting out of the churning waters between the two ships.

Jack made a meek noise as he watched the _Dutchman_ halt completely. When he did not give orders, Gibbs consulted him in a voice that betrayed him, proving that he was quick anxious.

"Orders, Cap'n?"

"Load the cannons," Jack said, after only a moment's pause. The _Dutchman_ was close enough for Jack to see Lord Felton, looking prim, and his accomplices, including Will's successor to the throne of miserable immortality.

Gibbs repeated the command, yelling with renewed vigor. Fantine stepped away quickly from the rail, obviously attempting to avoid another fall overboard, and, trying to look dignified, she hurried to assist a struggling Marty with the gunpowder.

The _Empress_ was blocked from view by the ship in between it and the _Pearl_, but its sailors were much bewildered to sea the ghost ship rise eerily out of the water. Elizabeth squealed, her tough piratey manner vanishing. In response to Elizabeth's squeak of terror, Will pulled her into a reassuring embrace.

"Not now, Will," Elizabeth cried, recovering from her shock and trying to compensate for it by looking strong.

"Load all the cannons!" she shouted, taking Will aback. "Fire as soon as loaded!"

Will was flabbergasted to see the ship he had only recently captained in the hands of – someone else. Who? It couldn't possibly be his father. Puffer? Unlikey. Puffer despised the work of the _Dutchman's_ captain.

With a sudden shock of dawning comprehension, Will focused on two individuals he recalled. Two individuals, suspiciously cleaning the deck, and incriminatingly discussing the key and chest in Will's absence: Stella and Tommi.

BANG.

A cannonball was sent hurtling through the thick mist, but it was not one of the _Empress_, for it was soaring directly toward the mast of Elizabeth's ship. Will gulped, then quickly leaped into action, knowing what plight they would suffer should the mast crack.

In a matter of seconds, Will seized the wheel and jerked it. The ship turned slightly, but it was enough – the cannonball shot past the mast, almost touching it. Will sighed in relief, pleased to hear the splash that told him the ball had landed into the water, where it would not do damage.

"Will!" screamed Elizabeth. "Duck!"

Will ducked automatically as another cannonball flew above him. It missed him, but unfortunately, a man called Yu-wen was hit in the gut. There was a sickening crack of bones being shattered, a piercing cry of pain, and finally, a dull thud signifying Yu-wen had fallen.

_One man down_, Will found himself thinking.

Elizabeth emptied her keg of gunpowder. A man from behind her seized it, peered inside, and tossed it away.

"Barbossa!" Elizabeth exclaimed. "I thought we said you aren't allowed on my—"

"Do you really think your words can stop me getting back on sea?" Barbossa replied with a grin. Elizabeth opened her mouth to answer, but Barbossa shoved her aside and lit the cannon with astonishing speed, at precisely the same moment six other gunners chose to attack.

Several thundering _bangs_ ensued as seven cannonballs simultaneously shot out of their cannons. Sadly, some of them promptly plopped into the waters, but half, fortunately, made contact with the _Dutchman_, which shuddered from the impact.

On the other side of the ghost ship, a similar situation of wild frenzy was occurring. Multiple shouts of "Fire" and continuous bangs was quite enough evidence to support this.

Jack dodged two cannonballs skillfully, grinning at his unsurprising success.

"Jack?"

Ignoring the high-pitched, frightened voice, Jack ducked another heavy black ball with ease.

"Jack?" came the voice again. "Captain Sparrow?"

Jack turned around, wrinkling his nose in surprise.

Fantine held a sword in both hands, looking as though she had no idea what to do with it. Facing her, a few feet away, was Will's successor, also holding a sword. The expression on _his_ face, however, said plainly that was perfectly knowledgeable of sword operation.

"Whoops," Jack said. "Not good."

Still clutching the sword, Fantine backed away from the man. He leered at her, his mouth lopsidedly contorting into a crooked smile – not of happiness, but of vindictive pleasure.

"Oi! Beanhead!" Jack called. The man paused, his grip on his sword relaxing as he whirled around to see who had the audacity to speak to him in this manner.

"Yeah, you," Jack continued, walking toward the man, completely unarmed, except for a bold smile. "Good sir, might I enquire as to what situation in which you are currently involved?"

The man looked confused. Apparently, he was not the brightest man to ever don the mark of an absent heart.

"What?" he said slowly.

Jack sighed. "To put this in simpler words, mate … what are you doing?"

The man appeared relieved.

"Threatening this pretty girl," he explained.

"Tommi!"

The burgundy-haired woman came running up to the man, her face twisted in anger.

"Tommi," she snarled, "you said _I_ was the only woman in your life!"  
Tommi spluttered a few weak excuses, lowering his sword as he did so. Fantine took advantage of Tommi's lapse of concentration on her and furtively sidled over to Jack, who was amusedly watching this burgundy-haired French woman argue with Tommi. It was obvious the woman was cleverer.

"I'm sorry, Stella," Tommi said, bowing his head at last. "But you know, Stella, you know that I love you."

The woman's face softened.

"Oh, Tommi," she said, leaning in and planting a big kiss on him.

"Hey!" Jack protested. "I'm the captain of this ship, and I forbid smooching! Unless, of course, it involves me."

Fantine sniggered at this strange, spontaneously created rule.

"This is your ship?" the woman called Stella asked.

"Clearly, it is," Jack said, puffing out his chest in pride. "I'm Captain Jack Sparrow, mate. Er, love."

Stella appeared very surprised.

"So _you're_ Captain Sparrow," she said, putting unnecessary emphasis on her words. She left Tommi and strut over to Jack. Fantine quickly moved behind him.

Stella gave Jack her most seductive smile.

"Are you married, Captain Sparrow?" she asked sweetly.

"Nope," Jack said, indifferent.

"Have you ever thought about it?" Stella continued.

"Nope," Jack said again. "And if it concerns you, young missy, I never will."

Stella's smile vanished.

"What—" she spluttered. "But I'm beautiful!"

"I've seen better," Jack said, shrugging and examining his dirty nails.

Stella fumed.

"Like who?" she demanded roughly. "_Her_?"

She nodded jerkily at Fantine, who gave Stella a quizzical look. Tommi stared at Fantine, then at the spot where he had been threatening her, apparently having not noticed her scooting away moments ago.

"Quite," Jack said. "Why say you, lass?"

"Quite," mimicked Stella. "Not quite! Why – look at her hair. Black as soot! And her pale skin—you call that beautiful?"

Jack gave Fantine an appraising look.

"Yep," he said airily.

"I feel uncomfortable," Fantine told Jack in a low voice, covering her chest by folding her arms. "Might I go and add some attire?"

"Actually," Jack said with a smirk," I'd prefer you go without any attire, at all. Seeing as I saved you from drowning, you are rather indebted to me. But I am merciful, love, so I'll let you just stay this way, eh?"

Fantine glared at him. Stella, however, looked down at Fantine's partially exposed ankle.

"You're a witch!" she said loudly, looking wondrously up at the girl. Fantine took a step backwards, right into Jack.

"What?" she demanded, looking shifty. "No!"

Stella strode up to Fantine and grabbed her ankle, showing all those watching a large pentacle tattoo on her leg.

Fantine tried hastily to swish her chemise hem over her leg again, but Stella rolled up the right leg of her sailor's trousers and displayed an identical tattoo.

"So I'm not the only witch left on the surface of the Earth," Stella said thoughtfully. "I thought France executed almost all the witches – except us."

"No," contradicted Fantine. "France executed all the _French_ witches – except you."

Stella looked faintly unsettled. Then, startling everyone, she shouted, "Lord Felton!"

With a loud _pop_!the familiar face of Lord Cornel Felton appeared next to that of Stella.

"Yes, my lady?" he asked sullenly.

"Instruct the _Dutchman_ to halt attacks," Stella ordered, Felton sank into a low bow, looking sour, and disappeared with another pop.

Stella now turned to Jack and Fantine, completely ignoring Tommi.

"The witch comes with us," she said, her smile twisting into an expression of avarice. "And your ship will be spared."

Jack bit his lower lip, trying not to look as though he disagreed with the conditions.

"Wouldn't if suffice if we negotiate—"

"No," cut in Fantine. "I'll go."

"Come along, then," Stella said briskly, offering Fantine a hand.

Jack was stunned speechless, his jaw dropped in a comical fashion.

Fantine gave Jack a rather pathetic gaze.

"It's the only way," she said sadly, "to let you and your crew live."

"I'll live either way," Jack protested.

Fantine silenced him with a piercing look.

"The only way," she repeated. "Good-bye, Jack."

She took Stella's hand, and the two women, along with Tommi, vanished in a puff of fragrant silver smoke.

Cheers erupted on deck as they disappeared, but Jack was still quite bewildered.

The _Dutchman_ sank beneath the surface again, and the hidden _Empress_ was seen. Its occupants, too, celebrated with cheering, for the _Flying Dutchman_ was gone.

But so was Fantine.

---------

Eurgh, no update for a week! Sorry. I have an SAT prep class every morning, and driving school in the afternoons, and. …. studying in the evenings. Fun eh?

And yesterday was July 21st! Yes, yes, I was reading Harry Potter! YAY! Potter party!

Anyway, I probably won't be updating so frequently as I did, like every day. Expect every few days, maybe every three.

Thanks again for your reviews and support!


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